April Auto Sales Live: Maruti, Tata Motors Hit By Covid Curbs, Escorts Report A 43% Drop Over March

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.’s passenger vehicles business posted total sales of 18,285 units in April, the company said in a statement.

Passenger vehicle rose 9.5% over last month as demand for its utility vehicle further improves. Year-On-Year, the sales are not comparable because of lockdown due to covid last year.

• Overall, the auto sales of M&M's automotive division sales fell 9.8% over last month to 36,437 units.

• Commercial vehicle segment sales, including electric three wheelers nearly doubled to 21,577 units over the same month last year.

"With the increase in lockdown restrictions in many parts of the country we foresee continuing supply chain related production challenges," Veejay Nakra, Chief Executive Officer, Automotive Division, M&M Ltd said in a statement, adding that while the demand remains good they expect impact in the first quarter due to low customer movement and dealership activity due to the lockdown restrictions.

The Farm Equipment segment on the other hand saw its sale fell 11% in April to 27,523 units, compared to the 30,970 units it sold last month.

Domestic tractor sales too fell by 12.3% to 26,130 units over last month, while exports rose nearly seven times to 1393 units over last month.

"There have been disruptions in supply chain due to localized lock downs and availability of oxygen along with dealerships in few states getting closed impacting demand momentum," Hemant Sikka, President - Farm Equipment Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said in a statement, adding that the firm expects tractor demand to bounce back as farmers start preparing their land for Kharif crops in the ensuing weeks.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. posted total sales of 159,691 units in April, the country’s largest automaker said in a statement. This is a de-growth of 4.3% over the 167,014 units it sold last month.

Year-on-year the domestic sales are not comparable because of lockdown due to covid-19 last year, leading to almost zero sales last year.

Total passenger vehicle sales fell 7% to 135,879 units in April from 146,203 units last month.

• Total domestic sales fell to 142,454 units in April.

• Exports rose to 48% to 17,237 units in April.

• Mini and compact vehicle segment fell 8.8% to 97,359 units in April over last month.

• Utility vehicle sales fell 2.6% to 25,484 units in April over last month.

Tata Motors Ltd.’s passenger vehicle division sold 25,095 units in April, the company said in a statement on Saturday.

Passenger vehicle sales fell 15% over last month. Year-on-year the domestic sales are not comparable because of covid led lockdown last year.

Overall Tata Motors’ domestic sales fell 41% to 39,530 units in April from 66,609 units it sold in March.

• Total domestic commercial vehicle sales fell to 14,435 units in April, compared to 39,955 units in March.

• Commercial vehicle export too fell 59% to 2,209 units.

Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles, the commercial vehicle arm of Eicher Motors Ltd, reported and overall sales of 2,145 units in April, the company said in an exchange filing.

VECV sales fell 70% over the last month. Year-on-Year, the sales are however not comparable.

• Domestic sales rose to 1,555 units from 38 units last year.

• Exports rose to 541 units from 67 units last year.

Escorts Ltd.’s agri machinery segment sold 6,979 tractors in March, the company said in a statement to the exchanges on Saturday.

The automaker's tractor sales declined 43% over the last month. Year-on-year, the sales are not comparable due to complete lockdown last year.

In domestic market it sold tractor 6,386, while in exports it sold 593 units.

The company said while the demand in April last year was drastically impacted by Covid-19 national lockdown, but now supply chain had minimal impact from local restrictions.

Escorts said the company has also build some inventory in anticipation of pent-up demand as the pandemic situation improves.

"The medium-term macroeconomic factors remain positive on account of record rabi harvest, sustained crop prices, and good prediction of monsoons this year," the company said in a statement adding that increasing inflation remains a worry.