Argentina economy grew about 9 pct August- Kirchner

BUENOS AIRES, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Argentina's economy grew by around 9 percent in August from a year earlier, President Nestor Kirchner said on Tuesday.

Kirchner announced the figure two days before the government is due to release the official data.

"We are surely going to grow around 9 percent, or more than 9 percent, in August," Kirchner said during an appearance at a Volkswagen factory in the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

"Argentina is continuing to grow very strongly," he added.

The Argentine economy has grown by more than 8 percent each year over the last five years, helped by a boom in consumer spending and agricultural exports following the country's 2001-02 economic crisis.

The EMAE economic activity index ARECI14, which measures most of the elements of gross domestic product, is released monthly by the government. It is due out on Thursday at 4 p.m. local time (1900 GMT).