German food manufacturing sales edge down, but jobs increase

Eurofood, Feb 3, 2000

Provisional statistics for 1999 released by Germany's Federal Statistics Office show that the country's food manufacturers together posted sales worth DM224bn (??114bn), a 1.7% decrease on the DM228bn reported for 1998. As the Ministry for Food (Bundesernahrungsministerium) revealed, the lander of the former Federal Republic of Germany made DM197bn (1998:DM201), while the lander of the former German Democratic Republic registered a decline for the first time since 1992, with sales falling from DM28bn in 1998 to DM27bn.

Exports made a marked contribution to the decline in overall sales, falling by 2.2%, whereas domestic sales fell by a less damaging 1.4%. On a brighter note, an upturn in sales was reported by potato processors and producers of fruit juice, baked goods and part baked goods. In contrast, turnover was down for meat processors and producers of raw oils and fats, margarine, confectionery, coffee and tea.

COMPARISONS COULD BE MISLEADING

Compared with the previous year, 1999 saw the number of businesses operating in the sector rise by 3.9% to 6 140 (1998:5 910). A slight increase was also reported in the number of employees working in the food manufacturing sector, up from 544 300 to 549 800, although the ministry said this probably reflects this year's more complete survey of workers employed in craft bakers and butchers. It is not clear how many of these workers are employed on a part-time basis, nor how many have permanent contracts.