Industrial production index sees low increase

The electricity production and distribution saw a growth of 9.3% while processing and manufacturing sector registered a 6.6% increase. The water supply and waste treatment sector also expanded by 6.6%, but the mining industry suffered a strong drop of 13.5%.

Several main industrial products achieved good growth, such as rolled steel (35.4%), television (16.7%), automobiles (15.2%) and apparels (14.3%). 

Products that saw reductions in output included artificial fiber (1%), coal (6.3%) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by 8.5%.

In the reviewed period, several localities with large-scale industrial production reported growth, such as Hai Phong (17.2%), Thai Nguyen (10.1%), Da Nang (9.6%), Hai Duong (9.4%), Binh Duong and Dong Nai 5.9%, HCM City 5.8%, Hanoi 5.1% and Can Tho 4.9%.

The inventory index of the manufacturing and processing sector as of February 1 increased by 13.3% from the same period last year. Some sectors with surges in inventory index included paper and paper-products with a 106.9% rise, beverage 66.6%; electronic products, computers and optical products 61.3%, and non-ferrous mineral products by 43.7%.

As of February 1, the number of workers at industrial enterprises rose 2.5% from one year ago. The private sector saw a 1% expansion in its workforce, the foreign-invested sector reported a 4.4% growth, while the state-owned sector saw its workforce shrink 1.9%.