Industrial sector growth increased by 6.53 % during July-August
By Asad Cheema

ISLAMABAD—The industrial sector growth of large scale manufacturing items has increased by 6.53 % during first two months of the current fiscal as compared to the same period last year.
According to the sources, out of major 39 large scale industrial items, 25 registered handsome increases in the production while 13 showed minor decrease in their production during July-August 2005-06. The production of sugar did not calculate due to off season. According to a data collected by the Ministry of Industries and Production, the production of cotton cloth increased by 6.46 %, cotton cloth (non-mill sector) 31.96 %, cotton yarn 7.12 %, paper and board sector 6.53 %, fertilizer sector 9.88 %, Urea 4.99 %, phosphatic fertilizer 17.89 %, soda ash 9.57 %, cement 9.78 %, motor tyres 1.52 %, and bicycles 13.18 %.
The production of auto sector was also very encouraging and production of auto sector increased by 25.73 % as a whole during July-August 2005-06. The production of cars increased from 18,811 to 23,533 cars, light commercial vehicles from 2,458 to 4,122, motorcycles from 67,628 to 90,551, jeeps from 216 to 389, trucks from 231 to 687. However, the production of buses and tractors declined in July-August 2005 as compared to same period last year.
The production of cigarettes decreased by 3.41 %, in the first time after decades as compared to the past years. The production of writing paper, chip board, caustic soda, jute goods, motor tubes, iron and steel products of Pakistan Steel also decreased during the July-August 2005-06.
Following the instructions of the Federal Minister for Industries and Production and Special Initiatives, the Ministry is making and considering incentives and exemptions under the new industrial policy to be finalized soon for industry to encourage and attract the investment which will benefit the industrial sector, The sources said that industrial policy and steel sector policy would be finalized soon to boost the manufacturing sector.