New Zealand manufacturing remained in the doldrums in the three months to September, with Statistics New Zealand measuring declining output for the second quarter in a row and noting three years of activity at around current levels.
Sales by volume fell 1.4 per cent (seasonally adjusted), similar to the June quarter's decrease, the official statistician said.
"Two of the largest manufacturing industries, meat and dairy, and metal products, drove the September fall," industry and labour statistics manager Neil Kelly said in a statement.
Meat and dairy manufacturing, which is nearly one-third of all manufacturing, fell 1.9 per cent while metal product manufacturing fell 4.7 per cent.
Of the remaining 11 industries, five recorded decreases.
