India’s core sector output down 2.5 % in February

Core sector industrial production in the country contracted (-) 2.5 per cent in February 2013 against a 3.9 per cent expansion recorded in January and a 7.7 per cent growth in February 2012.

The year-on-year decline in core sector production in February 2013 was mainly on account of negative growth in electricity generation and in the production of crude oil and natural gas, coal and fertilisers.

The index of core sector industries, which has a weight of 37.90 per cent in the general index of industrial production (IIP), stood at 144.4 in February 2013, showing a growth rate of (-) 2.5 per cent year-on-year, official data released today showed.

The eight core sector industries comprising coal, crude oil, natural gas, petroleum refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity had recorded a cumulative growth of 2.6 per cent in April-January 2012-13 compared to the 5.2 per cent growth recorded during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

Coal production (which has a weight of 4.38 per cent in the general index of industrial production) registered a growth of (-) 8 per cent in February 2013 against an 18 per cent growth recorded in February 2012.

Cumulative production of coal during April-February 2012-13 showed a growth of 3.7 per cent compared to its 0.5 per cent growth during the same period of 2011-12.

Production of crude oil (weight of 5.22 per cent in IIP) declined by 4.0 per cent in February 2013 against a growth of 0.3 per cent recorded in February 2012.

Cumulative production of crude oil recorded a growth of (-) 0.7 per cent during April-February 2012-13 compared to its 1.4 per cent growth during the same period of 2011-12.

Production of natural gas (weight of 1.71 per cent in IIP) was also negative both in February 2013 at (-) 20.1 per cent and in February 2012 at (-) 7.6 per cent.

Cumulatively production of natural gas was down 14.2 per cent during April-February 2012-13 against an 8.8 per cent decline during the same period of 2011-12.

Petroleum refinery production (weight of 5.94 per cent in IIP) grew 4.3 per cent in February 2013 compared to its 6 per cent growth in February 2012.

Cumulative refinery production recorded a growth of 7.0 per cent during April-February 2012-13 compared to its 3.3 per cent growth during the same period of 2011-12.

Fertiliser production (weight of 1.25 per cent in IIP) registered a growth of (-) 4.0 per cent in February 2013 against its 4.1 per cent growth in February 2012.

Cumulatively production of fertilizers was down 4.0 per cent during April-February 2012-13 compared to its 0.3 per cent growth during the same period of 2011-12.

Steel production (weight of 6.68 per cent in IIP) grew 0.5 per cent in February 2013 against its 8.7 per cent growth in February 2012.

Cumulative steel production during April-February 2012-13 grew 2.1 per cent compared to its 10.7 per cent growth during the same period of 2011-12.

Cement production (weight of 2.41 per cent in IIP) recorded a growth of 3.9 per cent in February 2013 against its 9.8 per cent growth in February 2012.