The Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) has recently released the Quantum Index Number (QIM)* which shows the performance trends of output in the Large Scale Manufacturing (LSM) recorded a growth of 4.52% during July-April fiscal year 2010 (overall index 203.98) over the corresponding months of the last fiscal year (overall index 195.16 ). LSM in April 2010 was 5.59% (overall index 207.92) over the corresponding month last year (overall index 196.91). The LSM growth has been attributed to economic recovery that increased the demand of consumable products in the local market as well as export products for global markets.

According to the social economic survey highlights 2009-10, the manufacturing sector performed well in the outgoing year. Production in large scale manufacturing (LSM) increased by 4.4% which was mainly caused by the improvement in sub groups of automobile (31.6%), tyre & tubes (29.5%), electronic (23.6%), fertilizer (10.9%) and pharmaceutical (7.6%). The items which showed an increase in their production during the year were phosphate fertilizer (13.86%), cement (11.21%), cooking oil (7.17%), cotton (5.77%) and leather product (17.28%) etc. During the current fiscal year, cement production increased to 22.8 million tones as against 19.4 million tons last year or an increase of 17%.

The break-up of industrial sector showed that the petroleum sector growth remained in the negative with declined of 6.7% during the first ten months of the outgoing fiscal over the corresponding months of last fiscal. The year to year performance was even worst at minus 13.6%. Ministry of Industries index, however, recorded growth of 3.34% in the first ten months of the current fiscal year and 1.39% in April 2010. The index of Bureau of Statistics (BoS) registered increase of 8.31% in the first ten months period and posted significant growth of 14.58% in April 2010. The main contributors to LSM growth includes, automobiles, tyres, and tubes, leather products, electronics, fertilizers, non-metallic mineral products, pharmaceuticals, and engineering products. Production of automobiles registered impressive growth within the LSM, a major increase was seen in the production of motorcycles up by 56.04%, jeeps and cars 38.64%, tractors 22.56 %, and trucks 12.56 %.

* Quantum Index Number (QIM) has been computed in FBS on the basis of latest production data of 100 items. The sources of the index are

1. Oil Companies Advisory Committee (OCAC) (11 items)
2. Ministry of Industries & Production (35 items)
3. Provincial Bureaus of Statistics (54 items).

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