Industrial production grows at a slower pace of 3.1% in April

Industrial production in the country expanded at a slower pace of 3.1 per cent year-on-year in April 2017, compared to the 3.8 per cent growth in March. Cumulative growth in production for the period April-March 2016-17 stands at 5.0 per cent.

Production in the mining, manufacturing and electricity sectors stood at 4.2 per cent, 2.6 per cent and 5.4 per cent, respectively, year-on-year, while cumulative production in the three sectors during April-March 2016-17 expanded 5.4 per cent, 4.9 per cent and 5.8 per cent, respectively.

Fourteen out of the 22 industry groups in the manufacturing sector have shown positive growth during April 2017 compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. The industry group 'manufacture of pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemical and botanical products' has shown the highest positive growth of 29.1 per cent, followed by 'manufacture of tobacco products' 17.9 per cent and 'manufacture of machinery and equipment' 9.5 per cent.

On the other hand, the industry group 'manufacture of beverages' has shown the highest negative growth of (-) 19.2 per cent, followed by 'manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers' (-) 15.6 per cent and 'manufacture of electrical equipment' (-) 14.4 per cent.

Primary goods production increased by 3.4 per cent in April 2017, while the production of capital goods and intermediate goods increased by (-) 1.3 per cent and 4.6 per cent, respectively.