Telco, Bajaj exports decline

The exports performance of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers Bajaj Auto, LML Ltd and Hero Honda suffered as their exports were down by 74.5 per cent, 69 per cent and 59 per cent respectively during the review period as against the same period last year.

Despite negative growth trends witnessed by the two-wheelers segment, TVS Suzuki, Escorts Yamaha and Kinetic Engineering managed to register positive exports growth of 85.8 per cent, 109 per cent and 4.7 per cent, according to data compiled by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

Commercial vehiclesexports were down by 26 per cent to 1373 units in April-June 1999-2000 as compared to 1857 units a year ago.

Major sufferers were Eicher Motors and Telco as their exports dipped sharply by 45 per cent and 69 per cent respectively during the review period.

Bajaj Auto exported only 1,467 vehicles during the first quarter of the current fiscal as compared to 6353 units in the same period last year, registering a decline of 74.5 per cent.

Another two-wheeler major LML Ltd witnessed a 69 per cent drop in exports volume to 1028 scooters during the review period from 3325 units exported during the corresponding period last fiscal.

However, exports of TVS Suzuki vehicles were higher by 85.8 in April-June this fiscal at 1178 units against 634 units in the same period last fiscal. Exports of the scooter segment declined by 51.1 per cent to 4008 units from 8208 units in April-June 1998-99. However, fall registered by the motorcycles segment was not so steep as it declined by 12.5 per cent during theperiod.

Total exports of motorcycles was 7027 units in the first quarter of the fiscal 1999-2000 as compared to 8032 units exported in the same period last year. In the mopeds segment, Kinetic Engineering posted a 4.7 per cent export growth during the reference period to 700 units from 668 units. Performance of other players in the segment was not satisfactory.

Performance of the medium and heavy (M&H) commercial vehicles was quite impressive during the first quarter of the current fiscal as the segment witnessed a 63.8 growth.

Telco exports were higher by 240 per cent in the M&H commercial vehicles segment to 459 units from 135 units but its exports declined by 69 per cent in the light commercial vehicles segment to 302 units from 977 units.

Exports of Ashok Leyland’s vehicles were also up by 37 .8 per cent to 368 units from 267 units. However, in the light commercial vehicles segment, it exported only 24 units as against 36 units in the first quarter of the last fiscal.

Three-wheelers exportsdipped by 5.5 per cent to 4694 units in April-June this year from 4971 units. Bajaj Auto registered a 5.3 per cent decline in exports to 4668 units from 4934 in the first quarter of the last fiscal.