Consumer goods production rises sharply

[AgNoStIc MuSliM]

ACs, bikes and capsules in big demand!

Friday, July 23, 2010
By News Desk

KARACHI: If production patterns are worth considering the index of public demand, people in Pakistan are showing more interest in buying air conditioners, fans, bikes and even medicines than purchasing beverages, cigarettes, cloth, wood and iron products.

The large-scale manufacturing data of July-May 2010 showed that despite growing energy crisis and long spells of load-shedding in the country, the production of air conditioners went up by 76 percent, in the 11-month period of fiscal 2010, against a decline of 57 percent in the same period of the previous year.

Same was the case with electric fans, refrigerators and deep freezers as their production levels went up by 26, 25 and 13 percentage points respectively.

In the pharmaceutical category, there was nine and 15 percent growth in the production of tablets and capsules while injections were produced 11 percent lower than the previous year.

Auto sector benefited from the base effect as it grew by 50 percent in fiscal 2010 against a negative 40 percent in fiscal 2009. Bikes steal the show with 53 percent growth while cars and tractors witnessed 42 and 21 percent growth respectively.

“It indicates that the economy is recovering and now people have more confidence compared to the past,” said Mohammed Sohail, CEO at Topline Securities. Electronics and auto sectors are considered major indicators as their production goes down in time of recession and accelerates once demand starts picking up.

The production of cigarettes and beverages declined by respective 13 and 19 percent while safety razors and bicyclesí output went up by

ACs, bikes and capsules in big demand!

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The News, as is often the case, did a sloppy job of posting the article and left out the production figures for razors and bicycles. Of any one finds them please post them here.