India’s industrial production up 2.5% in September

Industrial production in the country increased by 2.5 per cent in September 2014 compared to the level in September 2013 while cumulative growth for the April-September 2014-15 period stood at 2.8 per cent year-on-year, quick estimates released by the Central Statistics Office today showed.

Industrial production, based on the index of industrial production (IIP) had grown at a slow pace of 0.4 per cent in August 2014.

September IIP number hit a three-month high mainly on account of better mining and manufacturing output and larger offtake of capital goods.

Production in the mining sector grew at a slow pace of 0.7 per cent in September 2014 while manufacturing and electricity sectors reported growth rates of 2.5 per cent and 3.9 per cent, respectively, compared to September 2013.

The three sectors recorded cumulative growth rates of 2.1 per cent, 2.0 per cent and 10.4 per cent, respectively, during April-September 2014-15 over the corresponding period of 2013-14.

Fifteen out of the 22 industry groups in the manufacturing sector showed positive growth during September 2014 compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. The industry group 'electrical machinery and apparatus' showed the highest positive growth of 29.9 per cent, followed by 'other transport equipment' (19.1 per cent) and 'basic metals' (12.3 per cent).

On the other hand, the industry group 'radio, TV and communication equipment and apparatus' showed the highest negative growth of (-) 43.8 per cent, followed by 'office, accounting and computing machinery' (-) 34.2 per cent and 'chemicals and chemical products' (-) 4.4 per cent.

Basic goods production increased by 5.1 per cent in September 2014 while production of capital goods and intermediate goods grew 11.6 per cent and 1.8 per cent, respectively.  Production of consumer durables and consumer non-durables recorded growth rates of (-) 11.3 per cent and 1.5 per cent, respectively, while overall growth in consumer goods stood at (-) 4.0 per cent.

Some of the items that showed high positive growth during September 2014 include H R sheets (212.5 per cent), stainless/alloy steel (78.5 per cent), rubber insulated cable (60.9 per cent), leather garments (53.3 per cent), colour TV sets (47.2 per cent),  room air-conditioners (42.7 per cent), scooter and mopeds (40.7 per cent), ayurvedic medicaments (36.0 per cent), transformers (34.8 per cent), fasteners - excluding zip-fasteners (34.4 per cent) and  three-wheelers - including passenger and goods carriers (26.6 per cent).

Some of the items that showed high negative growth included telephone instruments- including mobile phones and accessories (- 53.6 per cent), diammonium phosphate (-42.0 per cent), sacking(-39.7 per cent), computers (-39.0 per cent), marble tiles/ slabs' (-32.8 per cent), cigarettes (-31.3 per cent), insulated cables/ wires of all kind (-30.0 per cent), antibiotics and its preparations (-25.0 per cent) and earth moving machinery (-24.6 per cent).

The CSO also revised IIP for August 2014 (first revision) and those for June 2014 (final revision) in the light of the updated data received from the source agencies.