ISLAMABAD: The overall output of Large Scale Manufacturing Industries (LSMI) increased by 7.85 percent during July-January 2020-21 compared to July-January 2019-20, as most of the major manufacturing sectors posted growth, shows the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) Tuesday.

According to provisional Quantum Index, numbers of Large Scale Manufacturing Industries output increased by 9.13 percent for January 2021 compared to January 2020 and 5.36 percent compared to December 2020.

The LSMI Quantum Index Number was recorded at 147.22 points during July-January 2020-21 against 136.49 points during the same period of the preceding year.

The LSMI data released by the PBS after collecting it from the Provincial Bureaus of Statistics (BOS), the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) and the Ministry of Industries showed that the OCAC recorded month-on-month negative growth of 12.37 percent in January 2021 against previous month, and 2.33 percent growth was recorded year-on-year in January 2021 against January 2020.

The data showed that the Ministry of Industry-related sectors witnessed an increase of 9.23 percent in January 2021 against December 2020 on MoM basis, while year-on-year basis, it registered a growth of 14.82 percent in January 2021 as compared to same month of 2020.

The PBS data said that LSM-related data to the BOS month-on-month witnessed negative 2.26 percent growth in January 2021 against the previous month, and on YoY basis, BOS witnessed negative growth of 5.41 percent in January 2021 against January 2020.

The production in July-January 2020-21 as compared to July-January 2019-20 has increased in textile, food, beverages and tobacco, coke and petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, non-metallic mineral products, automobiles and fertilizers, while it decreased in iron and steel products, electronics, leather products, paper and board, engineering products, rubber products and wood products.

Textile, the top contributing sector to the overall big industry output, increased by 2.65 percent, food, beverages and tobacco 19.13 percent, coke and petroleum products 4.63 percent, pharmaceuticals 12.33 percent, chemicals 9.19 percent, automobiles 13.02 percent, non-metallic mineral products 22.31 percent and fertilizers 6.74 percent during July-January 2020-21 compared to the same period last year.

The sectors showing decline during July-December 2020-21 compared to July-January 2019-20 included iron and steel products output declined by 1.06 percent, electronics 25.11 percent, leather products 41.65 percent, paper and board 0.62 percent, engineering products 30.52, rubber products 5.02 percent and wood products 56.11 percent.

The petroleum products witnessed an increase of 4.63 percent as its output went up from 7.964 billion liters during July-January 2019-20 to 8.332 billion liters in July-January 2020-21, while on YoY basis petroleum sector witnessed growth of 2.33 percent as its output increased from 1.135 billion litre in January 2020 to 1.161 billion litres in January 2021.

High-speed diesel witnessed 8.68 percent growth as its output remained 3.231 billion liters during July-January 2020-21 compared to 2.972 billion liters during the same period of last year, and 2.13 percent growth in January 2021 and remained 421.78 million liters compared to 412.978 million liters during the same period of last year.

Furnace oil witnessed 3.70 percent negative growth in output and remained 227.60 million liters in January 2021 compared to 236.354 million liters in January 2020 and 4.98 percent growth in July-January 2020-21 and remained 1.649 billion liters compared to 1.571 billion liters during the same period of last year.

Motor spirit witnessed 12.62 percent increase in January 2021 and remained 281.86 million liters compared to 250.275 million in January 2020 and witnessed 17.66 percent growth in July-January 2020-21, and remained 1.965 billion liters compared to 1.670 billion liters during the same period of last year.

The LPG witnessed 4.95 percent growth in January 2020 and remained 79.197 million liters compared to 75.463 million liters in January 2020 and 6.17 percent growth in July-January 2020-21, and remained 512.240 million liters compared to 482.489 million liters during the same period of last year. Jet fuel oil witnessed 35.90 percent decline in January 2021 and remained 51.71 million liters compared to 80.666 million liters in January 2020 and 37.43 percent decline in July-January 2020-21, and remained 349.083 million liters compared to 557.900 million liters during the same period of last year.

Kerosene oil witnessed 35.39 percent negative growth in January 2021 and remained 6.038 million liters compared to 9.344 million liters in January 2020 and 1.56 percent decrease in July-January 2020-21, and remained 66.95 million liters compared to 68.017 million liters during the same period of last year.

According to PBS data, sugar production witnessed 44.52 percent growth as its output remained 3.808 million tonnes during July-January 2020-21 compared to 2.634 million tonnes during the same period of last year, and 24.96 percent growth in January 2021 and remained 1.926 million tonnes compared to 1.541 million tonnes during the same period of last year.

Cement witnessed 23.12 percent growth during July-January 2020-21 and remained 28.85 million tonnes compared to 23.438 million tonnes during the same period of last year, and registered 38.10 percent growth in January 2021, and remained 4.281 million tonnes compared to 3.100 million tonnes during the same period of last year.

Tractors witnessed 54.71 percent growth during July-January 2020-21 and remained 26848 numbers compared to 17354 million during the same period of last year, and registered 428.70 percent growth in January 2021, and remained 3611 numbers compared to 683 during the same period of last year.

Motor cycles witnessed 15.59 percent growth during July-January 2020-21 and remained 1.451 million numbers compared to 1.255 million during the same period of last year, and registered 4.38 percent growth in January 2021, and remained 204342 numbers compared to 195762 during the same period of last year.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021