Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released the Industrial Production Index (IPI) results for March 2025, revealing a 2.0% increase in the general index compared to the same month last year.

The growth was primarily driven by a 5.1% year-on-year rise in manufacturing activities and a significant 15.0% increase in the water supply, sanitation, waste management, and treatment sector.

Meanwhile, the mining and quarrying activity index edged down by 0.2%, and the electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply sector declined by 0.9% year-on-year.

Oil-related activities saw modest growth, with the index rising by 0.5%, while non-oil industrial activities posted a 5.6% increase compared to March 2024, reflecting continued diversification efforts within the Kingdom’s economy.

GASTAT issues the Industrial Production Index on a monthly basis to monitor changes in the volume of production across key sectors. The index is based on data collected from a representative sample of establishments in the industrial sector, including mining and quarrying, manufacturing, utilities, and waste management.