The index of industrial production (IIP) saw a 5.4 percent growth in the first two months of this year in comparison with the same period in 2013.

The General Statistics Office (GSO) reported that at the same time, the index of inventory in the manufacturing and processing sectors accounted for 75 percent of the entire industrial production. It rose 12.7 percent year-on-year. In January alone, the index of inventory was up 9.7 percent.

According to GSO economists, the domestic industrial production has been recovering amid the many challenges still being faced by the global and local economy.

The growth of IIP in the first two months showed that businesses had invested strongly in production to keep pace with the economic recovery.

The processing and manufacturing industry, especially, has seen a handsome growth of 7.8 percent in the first two months, compared with the 5 percent growth in the same period last year.

Many industries also saw high growth in the first two months, such as garment and textile which was up 21.1 percent, leather by 19.2 percent, ready-made garments by 15.3 percent, electronics and computers by 10.4 percent, television production by 38.3 percent and rolled steel by 22 percent.

However, some key industrial products saw low or reduced growth such as crude oil which was decreased by 1.4 percent, electricity equipment by 1 percent and motorbike production by 11.2 percent.

In addition, some industries saw high inventory. The volume of the stockpile of drugs and medicinal herbs rose by 104.8 percent, of chemicals and chemical products by 43.6 percent and leather products by 36.8 percent.-VNA