According to a new report from Japanese site Macotakara, iPad 3 production is on-schedule and expected to be ready to ship by March this year.

The report notes that assembly of the next-generation iPad is split between Apple’s two suppliers, Pegatron and Foxconn, with Foxconn responsible for the bulk of production volume.

The first batch of iPad 3’s reportedly incorporate LCD screens from Sharp, information which is at odds with a recent report that claims that Sharp have been ousted as Apple’s iPad 3 display supplier due to a failure to meet the necessary requirements for mass production.

According to Chinese source, Foxconn Technology and Pegatron Technology started next generation of iPad assembly with Foxconn bearing 85% and Pegatron taking 15% of the production load like as iPhone 4S. Accelerated schedule is made possible by earlier Chinese New Year festival, 23rd-28th January.

This first lot production implements LCD’s, which are produced by Sharp Electronics Corporation, and aims to be shipped at early March, source told.

Earlier rumors and analyst reports had speculated on an early 2012 release-date for the iPad 3, with March being touted as the most likely launch month.