After a sharp decline last month, the capital's industrial production in March was estimated to increase 21.6 per cent compared with February, according to director of the municipal Department of Statistics Cong Xuan Mui.

The March's surge brought the figure in the first quarter tis year to rise 12.4 per cent over the same period last year.

All economic sectors including State, private and foreign-invested experienced the recovery, of which the private sector contributed the highest increase of 23.7 per cent.

Production of most of industries including ore mining, paper production and vehicle manufacturing in State-owned firms enjoyed the surge, of which the food processing industry saw a rise of 63.6 per cent

However, textile, leather and metal production industries reported a decrease ranging from 0.8 per cent and 6.4 per cent.

In the private firms, all of industries, exclusive electric equipment and engine vehicle manufacturing with a decline of 0.3 per cent and 11.5 per cent, had production surge, of which the precision tool production industry experienced the fastest growth of 90.7 per cent. Information equipment production was followed with a rise of 56.8 per cent.

The foreign-invested sector also achieved impressive growth in all production industries, with machinery and electrical equipment manufacturing increasing by 23.2 and 25.3 per cent, respectively.

Last month, Ha Noi's industrial production value decreased 21 per cent against the previous month and 5.8 per cent compared to the same period last year, reported Ha Noi Statistic Department.

The State-owned firms saw the strongest fall of up to 23.2 per cent. Private and foreign invested firms also posted falls of 20.2 per cent and 20.4 per cent, respectively.

Together with industrial production, the capital city also reported surge in many other sectors including agro-forestry-fishery sector and construction, of which the first was expected to enjoy the highest rise of 21.6 per cent.

However, the city's exports was estimated to make an insignificant surge of only 3.8 per cent.

The department in mid this month anticipated that the capital's GDP would increase 8.7 per cent in the first quarter of this year, noting that the surge was notable if compared to a 3.1 per cent rise in the same period last year. — VNS