Core sector output grows at a faster pace of 5% in March
02 May 2017
Core sector industrial production in the country expanded at a faster pace of 5 per cent in March against a 1 per cent growth recorded in February 2017, preliminary figures released by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) showed.
Production was boosted by a robust growth in steel production – helped in large measure by import restrictions - and higher output of coal, although production of cement, refinery products and fertilisers continued to show contraction.
Core sector output had shown a negative growth of (-) 0.1 per cent in March 2015.
Output in the eight core sector industries comprising coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity, which carry nearly 38 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), expanded at a cumulative 4.5 per cent in April-March 2016-17.
Production of coal, which has a weight of 4.38 per cent in the index of industrial production (IIP) increased by 10 per cent in March 2017 while cumulative coal production during April-March 2016-17 increased by 3.6 per cent year-on-year.
Production of crude oil (weight of 5.22 per cent in IIP) increased by 0.9 per cent in March 2017 while cumulative production of crude oil during April-March 2016-17 declined by 2.5 per cent.
Production of natural gas (weight of 1.71 per cent in IIP) increased by 8.3 per cent in March 2017 while its cumulative production during April-March 2016-17 declined by 1.1 per cent.
Petroleum refinery production (weight of 5.94 per cent in IIP) declined by 0.3 per cent in March 2017 while cumulative refinery output during April-March 2016-17 increased by 5.4 per cent.
Production of fertilizer (weight of 1.25 per cent in IIP) declined by 0.8 per cent in March 2017 while its cumulative production during April-March 2016-17 increased by 1.8 per cent.
Production of steel (weight of 6.68 per cent in IIP) increased by 11 per cent in March 2017 while its cumulative index during April-March 2016-17 increased by 9.3 per cent.
Cement production (weight of 2.41 per cent in IIP) declined by 6.8 per cent in March 2017 while cumulative cement production during April-March 2016-17 declined by 1.3 per cent.
Electricity generation (weight of 10.32 per cent in IIP) increased by 5.9 per cent in March 2017 while its cumulative production during April-March 2016-17 increased by 5.1 per cent.
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