ISLAMABAD, Aug 4: The capacity constraints and slower demands have badly affected Pakistan’s large-scale manufacturing sector, which grew by mere 8.63pc in the first 11 months as against the target of 13 per cent for the fiscal year 2006-07.

With this slump in the industrial growth, the export of commodities has also affected to a great extent, which recorded a marginal growth of 3.4 per cent during the year under review.

Official figures compiled by the Federal Bureau of Statistics released on Saturday showed that the overall industrial production figures will further go down when the figures for the month of June 2007 will be released.

The ministry of industries and production directly collects information from 35 items, Oil Companies Advisory Committee (OCAC) 11 items and the provincial bureau of statistics provide data for 54 items.

Sugar production in 11 months increased by more than 19 per cent to 3.522 million tons compared with 2.946 million tons last year. The production of cigarettes has increased by 4.48 per cent, while cotton yarn and cloth production grew by 11.88 per cent and 6.26pc, respectively.

In the food sector the vegetable ghee production increased by 2.15 per cent, cooking oil 7.03 per cent, wheat 7.17pc, starch and its products 8.89 per cent, beverages 28.99pc during the period under review over the last year.

In the automobile sector, the LCVs production has increased by 17.48 per cent, jeeps and cars 1.57 per cent, buses 14.13 per cent, motor cycles 12.42 per cent during the July-May period of the current fiscal as against the same period of last year. However, the production of trucks dropped by 2.52 per cent.

Similarly, tractor production has increased by 11.85 per cent, diesel engines 27.27 per cent during the period under review. The production of cycle tyres was up 1.85 per cent, cycle tubes 2.40 per cent, motor tyres 17.74 per cent and motor tubes 45.20 per cent.

The production of paper and board has dropped by 2.01 per cent, petroleum products 2.63 per cent.

The cement production during July-May 2006-07 has increased by 21.60 per cent and the production of glass sheet, up by 97.25 per cent during the period under review over the last year.

The iron and steel production during the July-May period up by 11.95 per cent, coke 80.25 per cent, pig iron 30.80 per cent, billets 10.14 per cent and HR sheets 6.6.99 per cent during the period under review over the last year.

Among the electrical production, refrigerators recorded a growth of 9.20 per cent, deep freezer 5.58 per cent, air-conditioners 25.89 per cent, electric tubes 8.89 per cent, electric fans 4.64 per cent, electric motors 4.54 per cent, switch gears 0.82 per cent and electric transformers 24.96 per cent.

However, TV sets production declined by 35.75 per cent, electric meters 10.11 per cent during the period under review over the last year.