In January compared to the corresponding month of last year, industrial production volumes increased by 8.4%. At the same time, compared to the previous month, production output decreased by 8.4%. \n \nThis was reported by the State Statistics Committee of Ukraine. The State Statistics Committee calls the decrease in production volumes in January compared to December an annual seasonal phenomenon, noting that over the past 15 years this indicator has averaged -12.1%. \n \nIn the extractive industry, compared to January 2004, production volumes increased by 0.9%. Growth was recorded in the extraction of metal ores (12.0%), hydrocarbons (1.1%). At the same time, at enterprises for the extraction of coal and peat, the aforementioned decline in production was 9.5%. In the manufacturing industry, for January 2005, output increased by 10.1%. \n \nEnterprises of the food industry and processing of agricultural products exceeded the volumes of January 2004 by 19.8%. Significant growth in production volumes was observed in the meat industry (by 26.9%), confectionery (by 26.2%), tobacco (by 25.8%), in the production of pasta (by 24.7%), beverages (by 24.1%), in the dairy industry (by 18.2%), processing of vegetables and fruits (by 15.7%). \n \nIn metallurgy and metal processing, compared to January 2004, production volumes increased by 10.2%. Output increased at enterprises for the production of pig iron, steel and ferroalloys (by 7.1%), pipes (by 25.2%), other types of primary processing of pig iron and steel (by 24.6%), production of non-ferrous metals (by 7.8%), in metal processing (by 10.9%). \n\nMachine-building enterprises exceeded the production level of January 2004 by 0.8%. Growth in output was recorded in the production of motor vehicles (62.9%), machine tools (19.0%), machines for processing agricultural products (14.8%), office and electronic computing machines (11.1%), agricultural machines (3.5%). At the same time, production volumes decreased in the production of electrical machines and apparatus – by 33.1%, equipment for radio, television and communications – by 19.7%, in railway machine building – by 17.8%, production of household appliances – by 1.7%. \n \nIn the chemical and petrochemical industry, for January 2005, production growth was 17.1%. An increase in output was observed in chemical production (by 15.3%), including in the production of basic chemical products (by 14.1%), pharmaceutical production (by 9.7%), production of soap, perfumery products, cleaning and polishing preparations (by 76.3%). At enterprises for the production of rubber and plastic products, production volumes increased by 4.7% and 37.1%, respectively. \n\nIn January 2005, compared to the corresponding month of last year, industrial production volumes increased in almost all regions except Donetsk, Lviv, Poltava, Ternopil and Chernivtsi oblasts. High production growth was noted in Kherson (71.9%), Zakarpattia (40.3%), Kirovohrad (31.8%), Khmelnytskyi (25.9%) oblasts and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (27.7%).