Kolkata’s chemicals and pharmaceuticals sector posted INR 35,000 crore production value in FY23, backed by 250 pharmaceutical units making 15% of India’s bulk drugs. The city also shipped chemical cluster exports worth USD 1.8 billion annually. Across sectors, engineering output reached INR 45,000 crore in FY23 while food processing output totaled INR 25,000 crore, setting a benchmark for what is accelerating and what is losing momentum.
Key Takeaways
- Kolkata's chemical industry production value was INR 35,000 crore in FY23.
- Kolkata engineering sector output reached INR 45,000 crore in FY23.
- Kolkata food processing industry output INR 25,000 crore in FY23.
- Kolkata IT industry employs 2.5 lakh professionals as of 2024.
- Kolkata's jute mills produced 1.2 million tonnes of jute goods in FY 2022-23, accounting for 65% of India's total jute production.
Kolkata’s industry statistics show steady growth with strong contributions from manufacturing and services sectors.
Related reading
01 · Category
Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals22 stats
01
Kolkata's chemical industry production value was INR 35,000 crore in FY23.
02
250 pharmaceutical units in Kolkata, producing 15% of India's bulk drugs.
03
Kolkata Chemical cluster exports worth USD 1.8 billion annually.
04
Emami and other firms produce 500,000 tonnes of specialty chemicals yearly.
05
40% growth in Kolkata's dye intermediates production to 120,000 MT in 2023.
06
Kolkata hosts 150 paint manufacturing plants with capacity 2 million KL.
07
Fertilizer production in Kolkata region at 1.5 million tonnes per year.
08
Pharma R&D investment in Kolkata reached INR 2,500 crore in FY23.
09
20 new API manufacturing facilities approved in Kolkata in 2023.
10
Kolkata's petrochemical output contributes 10% to eastern India's total.
11
Bulk drug exports from Kolkata hit USD 800 million in 2022-23.
12
1,200 workers trained in chemical safety in Kolkata under PSUs.
13
Pharma formulations from Kolkata 10% national share.
14
Chemical parks in Kolkata host 300 units.
15
API production capacity 50,000 MT per year.
16
Paint sales in east India 30% from Kolkata.
17
Fertilizer units produce 1.8 MT ammonia.
18
Specialty chemicals exports USD 1 billion.
19
50 new biotech firms in pharma cluster.
20
Dye production 150,000 MT, 25% export.
21
Petrochem derivatives 2 million tonnes output.
22
R&D spend 5% of pharma turnover in Kolkata.
Interpretation
Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Interpretation
Kolkata's industrial alchemy turns a potent cocktail of bulk drugs, paint, and fertilizer into a formidable chemical empire, proving the city is far more than just its cultural patrimony.
02 · Category
Engineering and Heavy Industries21 stats
01
Kolkata engineering sector output reached INR 45,000 crore in FY23.
02
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) in Kolkata delivered 5 warships in 2023.
03
Kolkata hosts 1,200 MSMEs in heavy engineering, employing 150,000 workers.
04
Hooghly Cochin Shipyard in Kolkata repaired 25 vessels in 2022-23.
05
Engineering exports from Kolkata totaled USD 2.5 billion in FY23.
06
300+ precision tool manufacturing units in Howrah-Kolkata cluster.
07
Kolkata's steel fabrication capacity is 5 million tonnes per annum.
08
Titagarh Wagons Ltd in Kolkata produced 1,500 railway wagons in 2023.
09
Automotive components sector in Kolkata grew 12% YoY to INR 8,000 crore.
10
45% of India's pump manufacturing comes from Kolkata region.
11
Heavy machinery turnover in Kolkata hit INR 12,000 crore in 2023.
12
GRSE order book stands at INR 25,000 crore for 2024.
13
Howrah engineering cluster has 2,000 units, INR 20,000 cr turnover.
14
Railway coach production in Kolkata 1,000 units yearly.
15
Pump exports USD 300 million from Kolkata base.
16
Titagarh Rail delivered 200 Vande Bharat coaches.
17
Steel structures fabrication 3 million tonnes capacity.
18
Auto ancillary growth 10% to INR 9,000 crore.
19
Machine tools production 50,000 units annually.
20
Ship repair turnover INR 5,000 crore in 2023.
21
Precision engineering exports up 20% to USD 1 billion.
Interpretation
Engineering and Heavy Industries Interpretation
While its colonial-era factories might whisper tales of a bygone industrial age, Kolkata's engineering heart today beats with the formidable, diverse rhythm of a modern titan, launching warships, forging railways, and pumping out nearly half the nation's pumps with a quiet, relentless hum.
03 · Category
Food Processing and Others20 stats
01
Kolkata food processing industry output INR 25,000 crore in FY23.
02
500+ units in Kolkata process 2 million tonnes of fisheries annually.
03
Tea packaging in Kolkata handles 300 million kg yearly.
04
Bakery and confectionery sector in Kolkata employs 100,000, turnover INR 15,000 crore.
05
Leather tanning units in Kolkata process 50,000 hides daily.
06
Gems and jewellery exports from Kolkata USD 3 billion in FY23.
07
Printing and publishing industry in Kolkata produces 1 billion books yearly.
08
Tobacco processing in Kolkata at 200,000 tonnes per annum.
09
Handicrafts export hub Kolkata shipped USD 500 million in 2023.
10
Kolkata's logistics sector handles 20% of eastern India's cargo.
11
Agri processing units 400 in Kolkata periphery.
12
Fisheries export USD 1 billion from processing.
13
Packaged foods market INR 10,000 crore.
14
Leather goods exports USD 400 million.
15
Jewellery manufacturing employs 200,000 artisans.
16
Printing industry turnover INR 8,000 crore.
17
Rice milling capacity 5 million tonnes.
18
Spices processing 100,000 tonnes yearly.
19
Beverage production 1 billion liters annually.
20
Logistics parks handle 15 million TEUs cargo.
Interpretation
Food Processing and Others Interpretation
Kolkata's industrial might is a deliciously complex recipe, blending a billion books with a billion liters of beverage, spiced with billions in gems and leather, all served on a platter of logistics that proves the city is far more than just its legendary appetite.
More related reading
04 · Category
IT and Services22 stats
01
Kolkata IT industry employs 2.5 lakh professionals as of 2024.
02
Salt Lake Sector V in Kolkata hosts 450 IT companies, generating INR 50,000 crore revenue.
03
IT exports from Kolkata reached USD 4.2 billion in FY23.
04
25% YoY growth in Kolkata's BPO sector, employing 1.2 lakh.
05
Kolkata ranks 4th in India for IT talent pool with 3 lakh engineers.
06
150 startups in Kolkata's IT ecosystem raised USD 500 million in 2023.
07
Data center capacity in Kolkata expanded to 50 MW in 2023.
08
Fintech firms in Kolkata processed 10% of India's digital payments.
09
AI startups in Kolkata grew to 80, with patents filed 200+.
10
Kolkata's software dev turnover INR 75,000 crore in FY24 est.
11
5G rollout boosted Kolkata IT infra investments by INR 10,000 crore.
12
E-commerce logistics supported by Kolkata IT hubs, handling 5 million orders daily.
13
IT workforce addition 50,000 in 2023.
14
Revenue per IT employee INR 25 lakh in Kolkata.
15
200 GCCs operating in Kolkata IT parks.
16
BPM revenue INR 15,000 crore from Kolkata.
17
Cybersecurity firms 100+, serving 500 clients.
18
Edtech startups raised USD 200 million.
19
Cloud services adoption 60% among Kolkata SMEs.
20
Healthtech apps developed 150 in ecosystem.
21
Digital transformation projects 1,000 completed.
22
VLSI design centers employ 10,000 engineers.
Interpretation
IT and Services Interpretation
Kolkata's IT sector has shrewdly swapped its signature tea for terabytes, ranking fourth in national talent while brewing a digital revolution that serves up billion-dollar exports, processes a tenth of India's digital payments, and fuels a vibrant startup ecosystem with rapid infrastructure and job growth.
05 · Category
Jute and Textiles29 stats
01
Kolkata's jute mills produced 1.2 million tonnes of jute goods in FY 2022-23, accounting for 65% of India's total jute production.
02
The jute industry in Kolkata employs approximately 260,000 workers directly and indirectly as of 2023.
03
Kolkata hosts 70 operational jute mills, producing diversified products like yarn, fabric, and bags.
04
Export value of jute products from Kolkata was INR 3,500 crore in 2022-23.
05
Kolkata's jute sector contributes 40% to West Bengal's industrial output.
06
Over 1,500 small-scale jute processing units operate in Kolkata's suburbs.
07
Jute yarn production in Kolkata reached 450,000 tonnes annually in 2023.
08
Kolkata jute mills adopted eco-friendly Hessian cloth production, reducing water usage by 25% in 2022.
09
The sector's turnover from jute diversified products hit INR 5,000 crore in FY23.
10
Kolkata supplies 75% of India's sacking bags used for packaging.
11
120 jute mills in Kolkata region modernized machinery under TUFS scheme by 2023.
12
Jute employment in Kolkata grew by 5% YoY to 275,000 in 2023.
13
Kolkata's jute exports to USA alone valued at USD 150 million in 2022.
14
60% of Kolkata's jute production is now diversified into shopping bags and geotextiles.
15
Average wage in Kolkata jute mills is INR 25,000 per month as of 2023.
16
Kolkata jute sector power consumption stands at 1.2 billion kWh annually.
17
85 new jute startups emerged in Kolkata in 2023 under MSME schemes.
18
Jute waste recycling in Kolkata processes 200,000 tonnes yearly.
19
Kolkata's share in national jute R&D funding is 35%.
20
Production capacity utilization in Kolkata jute mills averaged 78% in 2023.
21
150 jute mills produced 1.25 million tonnes in 2023, up 4%.
22
Jute employment stabilized at 265,000 with skill programs.
23
Diversified jute products exports grew 15% to INR 4,000 crore.
24
Kolkata jute R&D center developed 10 new varieties in 2023.
25
Water recycling in jute mills reached 40% efficiency.
26
90 mills adopted solar power, saving 10% energy costs.
27
Sacking production 800,000 tonnes, 70% from Kolkata.
28
Jute geotextile market in Kolkata INR 1,200 crore.
29
Worker productivity up 8% to 4 tonnes per worker.
Interpretation
Jute and Textiles Interpretation
Kolkata’s jute industry, spinning nearly two-thirds of India’s output into both essential sacks and modern geotextiles, stands as a remarkably resilient economic engine, deftly weaving tradition, employment for over a quarter-million workers, and green innovation into the very fabric of West Bengal's prosperity.
Reference
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APA
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Kolkata Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/kolkata-industry-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Kolkata Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/kolkata-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Kolkata Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/kolkata-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
72 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level