Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The national industry grew 6.61 percent in the second quarter of 2011, surpassing the national economic growth rate which was recorded at 6.49 percent, a senior official said.

"This is for the first time since the 1980s-1990s that industrial growth exceeds economic growth," Director General of Industrial Area Development of the Ministry of Industry, Dedi Mulyadi said here over the weekend.

He said that six industrial groups experienced positive growth in the second quarter. It was also for the first time all industrial groups experienced positive growth.

Over the past several years, a number of industrial groups such as timber-based industry and other forest products, textiles, leather and footwear experienced positive growth in the second quarter of 2011.

The biggest growth was experienced by basic metal industrial group such as iron and steel which recorded 15.48 percent, It was followed by the good, beverage and tobacco group which grew by 9.34 percent.

Textile industry, leather and foot ware industry also experienced a growth of 8.03 percent, followed by the group of fertilizer, chemical, rubber-base good which increased 6.62 percent. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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