Core sector output growth slows further to 1% in February

Core sector industrial production in the country expanded at a still slower pace of 1 per cent in February 2017 against the 3.4 per cent growth recorded in January this year and the 5.6 per cent growth seen in December 2016, preliminary figures released by the Central Statistical Office (CSO) showed.

Core sector industrial production in the country had grown at a faster clip of 5.9 per cent in February last year.

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 4.4 per cent in April-February 2016-17.

Coal production, which has a weight of 4.38 per cent in the general index of industrial production (IIP) increased by 7.1 per cent in February 2017 while cumulative production of coal during April-February 2016-17 increased by 2.8 per cent.

Production of crude oil (weight of 5.22 per cent in IIP) declined by 3.4 per cent in February 2017 while cumulative production of crude oil during April-February 2016-17 declined by 2.8 per cent.

Production of natural gas (weight of 1.71 per cent in IIP) declined by 1.7 per cent in February 2017 while cumulative production of natural gas during April-February 2016-17 declined by 1.9 per cent.

Petroleum refinery production (weight of 5.94 per cent in IIP) declined by 2.3 per cent in February 2017 while cumulative output of refinery products during April-February 2016-17 increased by 5.9 percent.

Production of fertilizer (weight of 1.25 per cent) declined by 5.3 percent in February 2017 while cumulative production of fertilizers during April-February 2016-17 increased by 2.1 per cent.

Production of steel (weight of 6.68 percent in IIP) increased by 8.7 per cent in February 2017 while cumulative production of steel during April-February 2016-17 increased by 9.1 per cent.

Production of cement (weight of 2.41 per cent in IIP) declined by 15.8 per cent in February 2017 while cumulative production of cement during April-February 2016-17 declined by 0.7 per cent.

Generation of electricity (weight of 10.32 per cent in IIP) increased by 1.5 per cent in February2017 while cumulative production of electricity during April-February 2016-17 increased by 5.0 per cent.