By Lynford Simpson, Staff Reporter 
THERE HAS been a 3.2 per cent increase in the number of registered factories in Jamaica with the figure moving from 1,842 in 2000, to 1,902 last year.
However, the number of persons employed in these factories stood at 40,929 in 2001 compared to 54,218 in 2000, a 24.5 per cent decrease in employment. The information is contained in the 2001 Statistical Bulletin of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
It said women experienced the highest decline in employment, making up 8,934 or 32.9 per cent of the unemployed. The number of men employed fell from 27,102 in 2000 to 22,747 last year, a decline of 16.1 per cent.
St. Andrew had the highest number of registered factories in 672, an increase of 2.9 per cent over 2000. This is followed by St. James with 252. St. Andrew employed the highest number of females with 6,680 or 36.7 per cent of the total. It also had the most males with 8,538 or 37.5 per cent of the total.
The apparel industry retained the highest percentage of the total number of employed persons with 10,161, a decline of 4,158 or 29.0 per cent compared to 2000. Industries experiencing significant increases in the number of persons employed were "canning and preserving of fish", 87 to 201; "aircraft repairs", 46 to 434; and "electric, light and power", 477 to 1,105.
The industrial group, "sugar", experienced the sharpest decline of 42.4 per cent in employment from 2,238 in 2000 to 1,289 in 2001.
The apparel industry with 46.1 per cent of total, and bakery products recorded the highest employment of males with 8.8 per cent of total.
