India’s industrial production down 0.4 per cent in September

Industrial production in the country contracted 0.4 per cent in September 2012 amidst a decline in production in both consumer goods and capital goods sectors and an overall dismal performance by the manufacturing sector.

The general index of industrial production (with base 2004-05=100) stood at 163.6 in September 2012, which is 0.4 per cent lower as compared to the level in September 2011, quick estimates released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed.

Overall industrial production based on the index of industrial production (IIP) showed a negative growth of (-) 0.4 per cent in September 2012 against a growth of 2.5 per cent in September last year. Industrial production in India had grown 2.7 per cent in the previous month (August 2012).

Cumulative industrial production in India grew at a dismal 0.1 per cent year-on-year during the first six months of the current financial year (April-September 2012-13).

Output in the mining, manufacturing and electricity sectors grew at 5.5 per cent, (-) 1.5 per cent and 3.9 per cent, respectively, during September 2012, with corresponding production indices of 114.8, 174.7 and 149.7, respectively. Cumulative production in the three sectors during April-September 2012-13 stood at 0.0 per cent, (-) 0.4 per cent and 4.6 per cent, respectively.

Twelve out of the 22 industry groups in the manufacturing sector showed positive growth during September 2012 compared to the corresponding month of the previous year. The industry group 'publishing, printing and reproduction of recorded media' continued to show the highest growth with 16.5 per cent growth in September 2012, followed by apparels, including dressing and dyeing of fur (14.3 per cent) and 'coke, refined petroleum products and nuclear fuel' (7.5 per cent).