BAKU. Oct 16 (Interfax) - Azerbaijan posted industrial output of 13.32 trillion manats in the first nine months of 2001, up 5.4% year-on- year, the state statistics committee told Interfax. The biggest increase of 32.6% was observed in the production of machinery and equipment, followed by a 31.3% rise in the production of leather and leather goods, 13.6% for optical and electrical equipment and 6.4% for sprits and tobacco. Production dropped 46.5% in the production of transport equipment, 25.9% for rubber and plastic goods, 9.4% for chemicals, 19.3% for wood and 17% in the printing industry and the production of pulp and paper. Production in the public sector dropped 4% year-on-year to 6.91 trillion manats, while output in the private sector increased 15.7% to 6.42 trillion manats. The official exchange rate on October 15 stood at 4,708 manats/$1.