Annual industrial production rose 13.7 per cent in February compared to the same month in 2009, the Central Statistics Office said yesterday.

Turnover was 3.6 per cent lower than February 2009.

The rise in volume was driven by growth in the production of basic pharmaceutical products and preparations, which rose 33.4 per cent.

This was offset by a 32.3 per cent decline in the production of computer, electronic and optical products.

The “modern” sector, which includes high-technology and chemical sectors, gained 18.5 per cent for the month, while the traditional sector rose marginally at 0.5 per cent.

Seasonally adjusted figures show the volume of industrial production for the three-month period to the end of February 2010 was 5.7 per cent higher than the preceding quarter.

Turnover in the same period was up 4.3 per cent for manufacturing industries.

“In overall terms the figures for 2009 weren’t too bad . . . However, given the positive start to 2010, there is every chance that we will see a healthy average increase in manufacturing output this year,” said Bloxham’s chief economist Alan McQuaid.