Contracting for the ninth consecutive month, the output of eight core infrastructure sectors dropped 2.6 per cent in November, mainly because of a decline in the production of natural gas, refinery products, steel and cement.

The production of the eight core sectors had recorded a growth of 0.7 per cent in November 2019, data released by the commerce and industry ministry showed on Thursday.

Barring coal, fertiliser and electricity, all sectors — crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, steel and cement — recorded a decline in growth in November 2020. During April-November, the sectors’ output dropped 11.4 per cent compared with a growth of 0.3 per cent in the same period of the previous year.

The output of crude oil declined (-) 4.9 per cent, while natural gas production fell (-) 9.3 per cent. The output of refinery products was down (-) 4.8 per cent, steel fell (-) 4.4 per cent and cement production was lower by (-) 7.1 per cent in November this year.

On the other hand, coal and electricity sector output grew 2.9 per cent and 2.2 per cent, repectively, during the month under review. Fertiliser sector growth stood at 1.6 per cent against 13.6 per cent in the same month last year.The core industries account for 40.27 per cent of the index of industrial production.