TAIPEI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan's industrial production dropped for the third consecutive month in February, due to a global economic slowdown and weakening demand for cellphones.

The industrial production index for February weakened 1.8 percent from a year earlier to 86.15, following a year on year decline of 1.09 percent in January and 1.06 percent in December, the island's economic affairs authorities said.

On a monthly basis, industrial output slumped 19.78 percent in February.

The manufacturing sector sub-index, which accounts for more than 90 percent of total industrial production in Taiwan, dropped 1.75 percent year on year to 86.48.

For the first two months of the year, Taiwan's industrial production fell 1.41 percent from a year earlier, with the sub-index for the manufacturing sector down 1.38 percent.