AKIPRESS.COM - Light industry production in Kazakhstan has grown by 23%, Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Roman Sklyar reported during the government meeting on socio-economic development in January-May 2019, the PM press service said.

According to the Ministry, the volume of industrial production from the early 2019, amounted to 102%, including mining — 100.7%, processing — 103.6%. In mining, production of non-ferrous ores increased by 15.7%, the volume of iron ore production was 98%. In general, the dynamics of iron ore production is growing and will reach 44.7 million tons by the end of the year.

As Sklyar reported, coal and lignite mining was 95.8%. The decrease in coal production at major coal-mining enterprises is associated with a reduction in the consumption of coal products by power plants. However, today there is a positive trend in coal exports, an increase of 105.6% or 11.3 million tons.

In the manufacturing industry, there is an increase in light industry by 23%, engineering — 16%, pharmaceutics — 11.6%, processed metal — 9.2%, building materials — 3.4%.

For the transport complex, the physical volume index for January-May 2019 was 105.3%. In general, there is a growth in the volume of cargo transportation by all modes of transport by 3.7%. Container traffic through Kazakhstan increased by 47% compared to the same period in 2018, reaching 240 thousand twenty-foot equivalents, a conventional unit of container fleet and container traffic.

The volume index for construction in January-May was 108.8%. Positive dynamics is observed in 15 regions. According to the results for five months, 4.6 million square meters of housing was commissioned, which is 100.1% over the same period in 2018.

“In total, 40,546 houses were commissioned throughout the country. The increase in housing construction in comparison with last year continues in 15 regions. To fulfill the commitments to achieve the annual plan, akimats of regions need to intensify their work,” Sklyar said.