The industrial output in Russia grew 4 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2012, the Federal Statistics Service Rosstat said on Monday.

"The industrial output index in the first quarter of 2012 amounted to 104 percent compared with the first quarter of 2011," the Rosstat said in a statement.

The industrial production in March 2012 increased 2 percent year-on-year and 7 percent month-on-month, according to Rosstat's release.

With a 4.4 percent year-on-year increase, the manufacturing industry demonstrated the largest growth in the first three months of 2012. However, it still fell 10.2 percent compared with the data in the fourth quarter last year.

Production of electric energy and gas rose 2.6 percent and the natural resources extraction increased 1.9 percent year-on-year.

Earlier reports said that the Russian Economic Development Ministry projected industrial output would expand 3.4 percent in 2012.

In 2011, the industrial output in Russia grew 4.7 percent.