Four-wheelers sale up 21 percent

KATHMANDU, May 19 :

Sales of four-wheelers posted an impressive growth of 21 percent in the first nine months of 2013/14 compared to the figures of the same period in the last fiscal year.

Data compiled by the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) shows a total of 8,553 units of vehicles under car/jeep/van segment were registered in the nine-month period ending mid-April, compared to 7,022 in the first nine months of 2012/13.

Automobile dealers have attributed healthy growth in sales of four-wheelers to easy access to bank loans and smooth clearance of vehicles from customs points. “Dealers are recording good sales of four-wheelers as banks are providing loans at attractive rates for this segment,” Shekhar Golchha, president of Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), told Republica, adding, “The sale of two-wheelers, however, is on a declining trend.”

Officials of DoTM attributed rise in growth of four-wheelers to increasing purchasing power of people. “More people are shifting to four-wheelers from two-wheelers due to rise in purchasing power. This is the major reason behind rise in registration of four-wheelers,” Sudarshan Dhakal, director general of DoTM, said.

Registration of vehicles under car/jeep/van segment has increased by a massive 38 percent to 6,337 units in Bagmati zone. Mechi, Janakpur, Gandaki, Dhaulagiri and Rapti zones also saw rise in registration of four-wheelers.

Statistics of DoTM shows registration of two-wheelers fell by 13 percent to 120,887 units in the review period, compared to 136,924 units registered in the same period of last fiscal year.

Overall registration of vehicles in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, however, declined by 10 percent to 145,254 units, as against 161,027 units recorded during the same period last year. According to the data, registration of vehicles under segments like bus, mini bus/mini truck, crane/excavator and micro went down during the period. Registration of tractors and pick-ups, however, increased.

Bagmati zone led other zones in terms of registration of vehicles with 50,073 units in the first nine months of 2013/14, while Seti zone was at the last with 387 units.

Source: Republica