Core sector output growth slows to 3% in June

Core sector industrial production in the country expanded at a slower pace of 3 per cent in June against the six-month high 4.4 per cent growth recorded in May this year and the 7.3 per cent growth recorded in June last year.

Core sector output growth, which had shown a negative trend, growing at (-) 0.4 per cent in April against a growth rate of (-) 0.1 per cent in March 2015 and 1.4 per cent in February 2015, had picked up since April.

The eight core sector industries comprising coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertiliser, steel, cement and electricity, which carry nearly 38 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), had expanded at a rate of 2.4 per cent in April-June this year.

Coal production, which has a weight of 4.38 per cent in the IIP, increased by 6.3 per cent in June 2015. Cumulative production of coal during April-June 2015-16 increased by 7.3 per cent.

Crude oil production (weight of 5.22 per cent in IIP) declined by 0.7 per cent in June 2015. Cumulative production during April-June 2015-16 declined by 0.9 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Production of natural gas (weight of 1.71 per cent in IIP) declined by 5.9 per cent in June 2015. Cumulative production during April-June 2015-16 declined by 4.2 per cent.

Refinery petroleum (weight of 5.94 per cent in IIP) increased by 7.5 per cent in June 2015. Cumulative production during April-June 2015-16 increased by 4.2 per cent year-on-year.

Fertilizer production (weight of 1.25 per cent in IIP) increased by 5.8 per cent in June 2015. Cumulative production during April-June 2015-16 increased by 2.4 per cent.

Steel production (weight of 6.68 per cent in IIP) increased by 4.9 per cent in June 2015. Cumulative production during April-June 2015-16 increased by 2.8 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.

Cement production (weight of 2.41 per cent in IIP) increased by 2.6 per cent in June 2015. Cumulative production during April-June 2015-16 increased by 0.9 per cent.

Electricity generation (weight of 10.32 per cent in IIP) increased by 0.2 per cent in June 2015. Cumulative production during April-June 2015-16 increased by 1.5 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.