In the first six months, the index rose 6.2percent, lower than 7.2 percent in the same period last year but above the 5.8percent growth in the first five months.
Ha Quang Tuyen, head of the GSO’s NationalAccount Department, said 17 out of 21 sectors recorded higher growth quarter-on-quarter,including manufacturing and processing, up 10.5 percent, contributing 7.4percentage points to overall growth, electricity manufacturing and distribution(up 8 percent) and water supply and waste treatment (7.8 percent).
Only mining fell by 8.2 percent due to a 11.6percent decrease in exploitation of crude oil and natural gas.
In the six months, metal production rose33.8 percent, electronics, optical equipment and computers 15.3 percent andpaper and paper products 10.2 percent.
Several industrial products registeredhigher growth in the first half, including television (39.1 percent), rolledsteel (26.1 percent), steel and iron (25.6 percent), urea fertiliser (19.4percent), natural fiber fabric (17.5 percent) and powder milk (10.4 percent).
As of June 1, the inventory index inmanufacturing and processing sector soared 10.2 percent, including beverages(up 88.8 percent), metal production (52.4 percent) and electrical equipment(33.1 percent).
Tuyen said that several large-scale steel plants,which will become operational this year, will fuel the growth of themanufacturing and processing sector. -VNA