ISLAMABAD: The large-scale manufacturing sector shrank 0.6 per cent during November, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Wednesday.

The sector’s performance also remained lack lustre during 5MFY19 as it declined 0.9pc year-on-year due to dismal performance of pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, iron and steel products, and electronics.

The LSM decrease in November came on the back of 21.3pc decline in production of engineering products, 18pc food products, 16.3pc fertilisers, 10.2pc chemicals, 4.5pc leather products, 2.7pc petroleum products and 54.5pc wood production.

Meanwhile, automobiles production was up by 10.03pc, paper and board 10.05pc, rubber products 9.98pc, textile 0.62pc, non-metallic mineral products 4.5pc, iron and steel products 26pc and electronics 30.6pc.

Source-wise, production data of 11 items from Oil Companies Advisory Committee registered a growth of 0.29pc whereas 36 items received from the Ministry of Industries and Production and 65 items by provincial bureaus of statistics declined by 0.76pc and 0.13pc, respectively.

Pharmaceutical — up 9.9pc year-on-year during November — grew mainly due to a 6.5pc increase in the production of syrups. However, tablets, capsules and injections went down by 1.18pc, 32pc, and 52.8pc, respectively.

In the non-metallic mineral products, cement dipped 10pc in November over same month last year while among autos, tractor production plunged 33.8pc, light commercial vehicles 32.2pc, trucks 16.3pc and motorcycles shrank by 12.3pc during the period under review. However, buses soared by 421pc and jeeps and cars 6.2pc.

Increase in the chemical sector was mainly driven by an uptick in the production of paints and varnishes by 0.9pc; caustic soda 15.5pc. Vegetable ghee also rose 2.12pc and cooking oil 2.43pc.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2019