Industrial production grows 7.1 per cent in February

India’s industrial output grew at a slower pace of 7.1 per cent year-on-year in February compared with a downward revision to 7.4 per cent increase in January, provisional figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed.17 while cumulative growth for the period April-February  2017-18 stood at 4.3 per cent.

Production in the mining, manufacturing and electricity sectors recorded growth rates of (-) 0.3 per cent, 8.7 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, during February 2018. Cumulative growth in these three sectors during April-February 2017-18 stood at 2.3 per cent, 4.6 per cent and 5.2 per cent respectively.

Fifteen out of the 23 industry groups in the manufacturing sector showed positive growth during February 2018.The industry group ‘manufacture of other transport equipment’ showed the highest growth of 32 per cent, followed by 'manufacture of machinery and equipment’ 26.9 per cent and ‘manufacture of  motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers’ 19.9 per cent.

On the other hand, the industry group ‘other manufacturing’ showed the highest negative growth of (-) 27.3 per cent, followed by ‘printing and reproduction of recorded media’ (-) 9.4 per cent and ‘manufacture of rubber and plastics products’ (-) 8.2 per cent.

Production of primary goods, capital goods, intemediate goods and infrastructure and construction goods recorded growth rates of 3.7 per cent, 20 per cent, 3.3 per cent and 12.6 per cent, respectively.

Production of consumer durables and consumer non-durables recorded growth rates of 7.9 per cent and 7.4 per cent, respectively.

Some important item groups showing high positive growth during the current month include ‘separators including decanter centrifuge’ (214.4 per cent), ‘stainless steel utensils’ (158.3 per cent), ‘bodies of trucks, lorries and trailers’ (149.2 per cent), ‘ship building and parts thereof’ (107.8 per cent), ‘sugar’ (60.1 per cent), ‘bars and rods of alloy and stainless steel’ (58.1 per cent), ‘vaccine for veterinary medicine’ (51.4 per cent),‘steroids and hormonal preparations, including anti-fungal preparations’ (41.3 per cent), ‘axles’ (40.2 per cent), ‘commercial Vehicles’ (30.6 per cent), ‘two-wheelers, ie, motorcycles and scooters’ (29.6 per cent), ‘industrial valves, including safety, relief and control valves’ (27.7 per cent) and ‘cement’ (23.8 per cent).

Some important items that have registered high negative growth include ‘hand tools, including interchangeable non-mechanised tools’ (-68.0 per cent), ‘jewellery of gold - studded and non-studded’ (- 66.9 per cent), ‘material handling, lifting and hoisting equipment’ (- 46.6 per cent), ‘paper of all kinds excluding newsprint’ (- 34.5 per cent), ‘bags/ pouches of HDPE/ LDPE’ (- 33.0 per cent), ‘plastic components of packing/ closing/ bottling articles and of electrical fittings’ (- 30.9 per cent), ‘medical/ surgical accessories’ (- 27.4 per cent), ‘telephones and mobile instruments’ (- 23.8 per cent), ‘agarbatti’ (- 23.1 per cent), ‘anti-pyretic, analgesic/anti-inflammatory API and formulations’ (- 23.1 per cent), ‘generators/ Alternators’ (- 22.6 per cent) and ‘other tobacco products’  (- 22.3 per cent).