Manufacturers decreased their output by 2.3% in January this year compared to the year before, Statistics SA said on Thursday.

The decrease was mainly due to lower production of radio, television, and communication apparatus, and professional equipment (down 27.9%); food and beverages (down 1.8%); glass and non-metallic mineral products (down 9.8%); and petroleum and chemical, rubber, and plastic products (down 1.6%).

"Seasonally adjusted manufacturing production decreased by 0.6% in the three months ended January 2015 compared with the previous three months," the latest Stats SA monthly manufacturing production and sales report stated.

Five of the ten manufacturing divisions had negative growth rates in this period.