New Delhi, Feb 01: Increasing truck sales of Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland and Eicher Motors drove commercial vehicle sales up by 36.2 per cent during April-December 2003 as a robust manufacturing sector, construction of highways and abundant rainfall continued to keep automakers busy.
A total of 1.78 lakh buses and trucks were sold during the period against 1.30 lakh units a year ago, data compiled by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers showed.
While medium and heavy (M&H) bus and truck sales jumped 41.2 per cent to 1.09 lakh units, that of light commercial vehicles went up by 29 per cent to 68,707 units.
In the M&H segment, sale of trucks grew 44.6 per cent to 92,055 units while that of buses went up by 25.8 per cent to 17,366 units.
Sale of light trucks also jumped by 39.7 per cent to 55,057 units but light buses suffered a 1.6 per cent drop to 13,650 units.
Demand for trucks, mainly M&H vehicles, has been on the upswing due to speedy progress on various highway projects.
A resurgent manufacturing sector, especially cement and steel, has also boosted truck sales this fiscal.
Abundant rains last year also helped to improve sentiments on expectations of better agricultural production and led to more demand in the rural areas, analysts said.
In the M&H segment, truck sales of market leader Tata Motors surged 42.8 per cent to 61,479 units while that of its nearest rival, Ashok Leyland grew 52.6 per cent to 22,606 units.
Bureau Report