Pakistan’s large-scale manufacturing (LSM) sector showed marked improvement in August 2024, with a 4.68% production increase compared to July, as per the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics report. Several industries, including apparel, leather, and wood products, experienced a surge in output. Petroleum products, chemicals, fertilizers, and transport equipment also posted notable growth during the month.
In addition, the food, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals sectors registered production increases, with tobacco output rising by 34% and vehicle manufacturing seeing a 23% surge between July and August.
Despite these gains, some industries faced challenges. The textile, beverage, paperboard, and vehicle manufacturing sectors saw a decline in output for August. Overall, the report indicated a 2.65% year-on-year drop in total output compared to August 2023, highlighting difficulties in certain areas.
During the July-August period, overall output fell by 0.19%, though textiles, beverages, leather, and wood products recorded improvements, while pharmaceuticals, rubber, iron, steel, and computers saw a downturn.
Positive signs also came from the transport sector, which witnessed a 26% production increase, and clothing manufacturing, which grew by 14.51%. Additionally, football production increased during July and August, reflecting a boost in Pakistan’s sports goods industry.
