The Large Scale Manufacturing Industries (LSMI) sector has reported a contraction of -1.90% during the first eight months (July–February) of the fiscal year 2024-25, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). This decline reflects the sector’s overall performance compared to the same period last year.
For February 2025, the LSMI output saw a decrease of 3.51% when compared to February 2024 and a sharper drop of 5.90% from January 2025. The downturn continued in November 2024, with production falling by 3.81% compared to November 2023 and 1.19% compared to October 2024.
The PBS has compiled the provisional quantum indices for the LSMI sector based on data from various sources, including the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC), Ministry of Industries and Production, Ministry of Commerce, and provincial bureaus of statistics. The estimated Quantum Index for LSMI for the period July–November 2024–25 stands at 109.33.
Several sectors contributed to the overall decline in LSMI performance, with tobacco, textiles, garments, petroleum products, and automobiles showing positive growth, while sectors such as food, chemicals, cement, iron and steel products, electrical equipment, and machinery experienced declines.
Specifically, tobacco saw a growth of 17.75%, while textiles grew by 0.33% and automobiles surged by 30.72%. On the other hand, food production fell by 5.01%, chemicals by 18.52%, and machinery and equipment by a significant 33.54%.
The performance data indicates a mixed trend across different sectors. While some areas like automobiles, petroleum, and garments have shown growth, other industries such as food, chemicals, and machinery have faced substantial setbacks, reflecting challenges in the domestic manufacturing environment during the first eight months of FY 2024-25.
