Auto retail sales in India rose 37 per cent in April from a low base last year due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, auto dealer FADA said on Thursday. Total sales in each category rose to 16,27,975 in April, compared to 11,87,771 a year earlier.

Compared with last year’s same period, all models such as passenger cars and two-wheelers increased from April last year. Passenger car registrations were 2,64,342 the previous month, up 25 per cent from 2,10,682 in April.
Likewise, two-wheelers sold 11,94,520 units, up 38 per cent from the same period last year. Retail sales of commercial vehicles were 78,398 in April, up 52 per cent from 51,515 in April 2021.

Compared to April last year, sales of tricycles were up 96 per cent, while tractor registrations were up 26 per cent. “While year-over-year comparisons to April 2021 show all categories are green and have high growth rates, it is essential to note that due to the first and second phases of the COVID wave, the All have eased sharply. Vinkesh Gulati, president of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), pointed out that there is no insignificant business in it due to the impact of the nationwide lockdown.

On the business outlook, Gulati said the conflict in Russia, Ukraine and the blockade in China would continue to create a mismatch between supply and demand, delaying the collection of passenger cars. Gulati said high-interest rates on auto loans would deal an additional blow to the auto industry and certainly slow down sales and further dampen sentiment. Talking about the positives, he noted that private consumption is regaining traction. FADA, which represents more than 15,000 car dealerships and 26,500 dealerships, said it collected registration data from 1,429 of its 1,613 RTOs.