India’s industrial output contracted 16.6% in June this year compared to the same month in 2019, government data released on Tuesday showed. The output also contracted 35.9% in the April-June 2020 quarter, year-on-year.
The contraction was the result of a partial lockdown in the country imposed to limit the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Production in the mining industry declined by 19.8%, manufacturing output by 17.1%, and electricity generation by 10% in June. For the April-June quarter, mining declined 22.4%, manufacturing 40.7% and electricity 15.8%.
The production of primary goods declined by 14.6% in June, and 20.2% in the April-June quarter. Capital goods production fell by 36.9% in June year-on-year and 64.3% for the first quarter of 2020-’21.
The production of intermediate goods fell by 25.1% in June and 43.1% for the April-June quarter. For infrastructure and construction goods, the corresponding figures were minus 21.3% and minus 48.4%, for consumer durables minus 35.5% and minus 67.6%. The production of consumer non-durables declined 15.3% in the first quarter of 2020-’21, but rose 14% in June year-on-year.
In April, India’s industrial production had declined by 57.6%, and in May by 34.7% over the same months the previous year. The relatively lower fall in industrial output for May and June shows the impact of easing of the lockdown, which had been strictly imposed till April 19.
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