Doha: The Industrial Product Price Index (PPI) remained steady in February 2018 compared to the previous month, reaching 61.1 points and 16.6 percent higher than the corresponding month of February 2017.
The industrial production index, released today by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics, consists of three components for three main sectors: mining, 72.7 percent of the general index, manufacturing, 26.8 percent, and electricity and water, 0.5 percent, QNA reported yesterday.
The mining index shows a rise of 0.7 percent compared to the previous month (January 2018) as a result of a rise of 0.7 percent in the prices of crude oil and natural gas. The value of this index rose from the same month last year (February 2017) by 19.1 percent.
The manufacturing sector fell by 1.3 percent compared to the previous month (January 2018), the result of the rise of six groups, and the decline of three other groups, with two groups remaining unchanged. The basic chemicals group rose by 3.2 percent, followed by paper and paper products, basic metals by 1.7 percent, other chemicals and fiber products by 0.8 percent, dairy products by 0.6 percent and cement and other non-metallic products by 0.3 percent.
The group of petroleum refining products fell by 3.1 percent, rubber and plastic products by 0.7 percent, followed by beverages by 0.2 percent, while the group of juices, the group of grain products and other products did not witness any change in price compared to the previous month (January 2018).
On the other hand, in the same sector, in terms of annual change, a rise of 12.1 percent was recorded compared with the corresponding month of the previous year (February 2017) due to the rise in the prices of the basic metals group by 22.3 percent, followed by the petroleum refining group by 13.9 percent, while other chemicals and fiber products increased by 9.9 percent, basic chemicals group by 7.7 percent, dairy products group by 6.5 percent, juices group by 4.0 percent, paper and products group by 3.3 percent, grain products group and other products by 1.5 percent, while a decline in product range of rubber and plastic event by 8.2 percent, followed by cement group and other non-metal products by 4.9 percent, the group refreshments and drinks by 1.0 percent.
The electricity and water sector recorded a 0.5 percent increase compared to the previous month (January 2018), due to the rise in the electricity group by 1.5 percent and decrease in the water group by 1.0 percent.
Compared to the same month in February 2017, the index of the sector was up by 5.1 percent as a result of the 11.5 percent rise in the electricity group and 4.1 percent decline in the water group.
