TOKYO, April 9 (Reuters) – Japan’s Toho Zinc Co Ltd (5707.T) said it plans to produce 56,981 tonnes of zinc in the April-September first half, up 16.2 percent from a year earlier.

Basic Materials | Energy

Most Japanese smelters have kept a cautious outlook on their output plans due to uncertainty over demand as Japan’s economy is only gradually recovering from the worst economic downturn in decades that forced manufacturers to reduce production and led to a sharp decline in consumption of metals.

For details of plans announced by Japanese smelters click: [ID:nTOE63504T]

Following are figures for the company’s latest output plan, with comparisons with estimated production in the second half of 2009/10 and actual production in the first half of 2009/10 (in tonnes):

H1 10/11 H1 09/10 H2 09/10

Zinc 56,981 49,026 60,892

Lead 49,000 38,812 41,284

Silver 145 157 173 (Reporting by Chikako Mogi)