Industrial production dropped 6% year-on-year in March, reversing a 3.3% rise in February. Among sectors, output produced in the mining and quarrying segment plunged by 13.1% annually in March, and that of the manufacturing sector contracted by 6.3%.

On the other hand, production in the utility sector advanced by 0.1%.

On a monthly basis, industrial output growth was 3.6% in March versus a 0.7% gain in February.

In a separate report, the statistical office revealed that producer prices declined 9.6% annually in March, following a 10% slump in the prior month. On month, producer prices edged up 0.1%.