DANE reported that manufacturing industrial production fell 0.5% in January 2026 compared to January 2025, with real sales down 0.7%. This marks two consecutive months of production contraction and three for sales.
The National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) released the Monthly Manufacturing Survey with Territorial Focus (Emmet) for January 2026. Real production varied by -0.5%, real sales by -0.7%, and employed personnel rose 0.1% compared to January 2025. In that prior month, production had grown 1.9% and sales 1.4% nationally, per Andi and DANE data. The sector has three consecutive months of sales declines and two of negative production, according to Bruce Mac Master, Andi president. Activities with largest production drops included basic industries of precious and non-ferrous metals (-17.3%), cocoa, chocolate and confectionery processing (-16.2%), and rubber products (-12.7%). Sales saw automotor vehicles (-25.4%), leather tanning and retanning (-19.5%), and basic non-ferrous metals industries (-19.3%). Of 39 activities analyzed, 22 showed negative production variations. In the Industrial Production Index, 15 of 26 activities fell, with machinery and equipment manufacturing at -10.6% and electrical apparatus at -9.6%. Positives included automotor vehicles (+37.9%) and other transport equipment (+26.6%). Territorially, nine of 14 departments reported declines: Bogotá (-2.6%), Atlántico (-4.1%), and Cundinamarca (-1.4%). The Barranquilla metropolitan area contributed negatively with -4.2%. Santander grew 11.1%, Valle del Cauca 1.4%, and Santiago de Cali 7.9%. Over the 12 months from February 2025 to January 2026, production rose 1.7%, sales the same, and employment 0.5%. Mac Master attributed results to smuggling, unfair trade practices, high costs, inflation, trade issues with Ecuador, and new taxes.
