Big industry expands 1.83pc in September.

Byline: Mubarak Zeb Khan

ISLAMABAD -- The large-scale manufacturing (LSM) sector grew 1.83 per cent during September, according to the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The growth in LSM came on the back of 12.59pc increase in production of pharmaceuticals, non-metallic mineral products 10.57pc, rubber 7.91pc, paper and board 6.39pc, leather products 3.86pc, food and beverages 3.82pc, automobiles 1.13pc, and engineering products 1.9pc.

Manufacturing sector's performance in the first quarter of ongoing fiscal year remained lacklustre as the sector shrank 3.33pc year-on-year in August while posting a meagre growth of 0.5pc in July. The decline in the manufacturing sector has prompted fears of reversal in the decade-high GDP growth witnessed during the last fiscal year.

On the other hand, sectors registering a decline included wood products down by 53.38pc, electronics down 14.03pc, petroleum products 6.19pc, chemicals 2.77pc, iron and steel products 0.83pc and textile 0.53pc.

Cumulatively, production in food, beverages and tobacco, coke and petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, non-metallic mineral products and fertilisers saw a significant decline during the first quarter of the current fiscal year with electronics and paper and board production posting a major increase during the period under review.

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