The industrial production index in January-March was 96.6% compared with the corresponding period last year, while in March 2012 – 95.5% on March 2011. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the reduction in the industrial output followed a 9.1% decrease in the production levels in extractive industry, a 3.1% decline in production in processing industry, and a 3.8% fall in output in the energy sector, Info-Prim Neo reports. The food and beverages industries together saw a 0.9% increase in production, especially in such activities as the manufacturing of cacao and confectionery (+23.4%), processing and canning of fruit and vegetables (+12.5%), winemaking (+6.7%), bread and patisseries making (+4.0%), manufacturing of distilled alcoholic drinks (+2.1%). At the same time, the production of tobacco articles decreased by 57.9%, in metallurgical industry by 34.9%, in chemical industry by 31.4%, of paper and cardboard by 13.9%, of machines and equipment by 10.4%, of clothing items by 8.3%, of electric power by 3.9%, of steams and hot water by 3.8%. But the output of medical, precision and optical instruments rose 1.8 times, of electrical appliances by 36.3%, of vegetal and animal fats and oils by 15.8%, of meat and meat products by 15.5%, of textiles by 13.7%, of leather and footwear by 13.6%, of dairy products by 10.9%, of mineral water and soft drinks by 8.6%, of furniture by 0.8%.