Datanomics: Half the manufacturing segments still far from pre-Covid level

Wood and its products recorded a higher production level by 3.7 per cent in the first two months of FY 26 over the corresponding period of 2011-12 but it was below the 2019-20 level

During the first two months of FY26, manufacturing output of 11 out of 23 segments covered in the index of industrial production (IIP) could not hit the pre-Covid, ie, 2019-20 (FY20) level. Despite a focus on manufacturing, segments such as food products, beverages, textiles, wearing apparel, and computer, electronic, and optical products continue to lag, apart from those with an index below 100 (FY12 base level).

 

   

 

Five of these subdued segments -- tobacco products, leather, paper and its products, printing and reproduction of recorded media, and other manufacturing -- had production below the base FY12 level. Production of wood and its products was up 3.7 per cent in the first two months of FY26 over the corresponding period of FY12, but still below the FY20 level.  

 

The production of the fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment segment was below the FY12 level but a shade higher than that in FY20.

 

Over the six-year period between FY20 and FY26, manufacturing production exhibited slow progress during the first two months.