Industrial production fell 18.8% in April, compared to the previous month, reflecting the effects of social isolation, which started in mid-March, to control the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the most intense fall in the industry since the beginning of the historical series, in 2002, and the second consecutive negative result, with an accumulated loss of 26.1% in the period.

The data are from the Monthly Industrial Survey (PIM), released today (3) by IBGE. In the year, from January to April, the sector shrank 8.2%, and in the last 12 months, it fell 2.9%. In relation to April last year, the drop in industry was greater, -27.2%, the sixth negative result followed in this comparison and the highest since the beginning of the series registered by the Institute.

“The April result is clearly due to the greater number of stoppages by the various production units, in various industrial segments, due to the pandemic. March had already shown a negative result. Now, in April, we see a spread, with falls of historical magnitudes, double digits, in all economic categories and in 22 of the 26 activities surveyed ”, said the research manager, André Macedo.

Among the activities, the worst decline came from motor vehicles, trailers and bodies (-88.5%), which was affected by the interruptions in the production of cars, trucks and auto parts in several factories in the country. As a result, activity intensified the decrease observed in the previous month (-28%) and registered the most intense drop since the beginning of the series.

According to Macedo, the interruption in the production of motor vehicles impacts other industrial segments, which also fell in April: metallurgy (-28.8%), rubber and plastic products (-25.8%) and machinery and equipment (- 30.8%). Other relevant decreases came from the activities of coke, petroleum products and biofuels (-18.4%) and beverages (-37.6%).