Industrial activity accelerates in June

Sri Lanka’s industrial activity in the month of June rose 2.2 percent from a year earlier, as the production volumes of refined petroleum products, paper and paper products and furniture grew, the data released by the government statistics office showed. The Census and Statistics Department said the Index of Industrial Production rose to 107.3 points in June, from 105 points in June, last year.

“Among the manufacturing industries, the volume of products of ‘manufacture of paper and paper products’ (42.7 percent), ‘manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products’ (22.3 percent) and ‘manufacture of furniture’ (19.9 percent) have shown remarkable increases.

Meanwhile, ‘other manufacturing’ (36.6 percent) (which includes manufacturing motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, other transport equipment, jewellery), has reported a decrease during this period,” the Census and Statistics Department said.

Industrial activity grew 1.2 percent in June from a month earlier, as the country continued to recover from the Easter Sunday attacks.

An index value over 100 means industrial activity grew compared to the base year of 2015.

Food production in June fell marginally by 0.1 percent to 102.5 points, while apparel production rose 2.8 percent from a year ago to 116.8 points.

Manufacturing of tobacco products fell 10.5 percent in June to 83.3 points, while manufacturing of rubber and plastic products slipped 19.5 percent to 94 points.

Meanwhile, the industrial production of the manufacturing sector for the second quarter of 2019 had increased by 0.6 percent, compared to the same quarter in 2018.