Cuba Shows Positive Signs in Manufacturing Activity

Havana, Cuba, Aug 15.- The Cuban manufacturing industry shows a positive development in several key indicators, supported in authorities' efforts for recovering economic, official sources stated today.

According to the National Statistics Office (ONE), the production of consumer goods has experienced a 2.3-percent rise in the first six months of 2012 compared with the same period last year.

Food contributions, with rice increase of 79.9 percent) refined fats of 36.5 percent, dairy products, canned meat and alcoholic beverages, among others, are highlighted in this section.

Some 842,000 tons of cement, 1.7 million square feet of asbestos-cement shingles and about 175,000 cubic meters of premixed concrete were produced from January to June.

The Cuban economy reported in this period an increase of 2.1 percent in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while trade turnover grew 7.6 percent. (Radio Cadena Agramonte).