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Motorcycle production and sales up in Brazil

The vehicles are exported to Argentina, the US, and Canada

Published on 11/04/2019 - 16:23 By Camila Boehm - São Paulo

In Brazil, 176,835 motorcycles were produced over the course of the first three months of the year—up 6.6 percent from the same period last year, as per data from the country’s association of manufacturers of motorcycles and similar vehicles Abraciclo.

Wholesale followed suit, with a total of 270,641 motorcycles in the first quarter—up 15.7 percent from its 2018 counterpart. In March alone, car lots received 93,559 vehicles, an increase of 7.2 percent from March 2018.

In the view of Marcos Fermanian, president of Abraciclo, the resumption in the sector went beyond expectations. “Steady interest rates at the lowest threshold in this time series and the expansion in the supply of credit from banks contributed to a quicker recovery.”

Domestic sales and exports

In March this year, the daily average of motorcycle sales countrywide totaled 4,410 vehicles, a growth of 16.8 percent compared to March last year, and 4.8 percent against February. “It’s the best result reached in the sector for a March since 2015. The surge in the daily average is a sign of recovery,” Fermanian declared.

In the external market, the first quarter saw a reduction of 41.2 percent in Brazilian motorcycle sales compared to the previous year; 11,382 motorcycles were exported this year, and 23,320 in the same period last year.

In March, the amount shipped stood at 3,525 vehicles, down 54.5 percent from the same month in 2018 (7,747). Compared to February, a 7.2 percent increase was reported (3,287).

“As for exports, the decline is linked directly to the reduction in shipments to Argentina—the main destination of motorcycles manufactured in the industrial complex of Manaus,” Fermanian argued.

According to Abraciclo, Argentina was the main buyer of Brazilian motorcycles in the first quarter—3,832 units, 37.7 percent of the total. Second comes the US, with 2,224 and 21,9 percent, and third Canada, with 1,488 units and 14.7 percent.

In March, Argentina retained its status as was top buyer, with 2,660 motorcycles (53.2 percent of the total), followed by Canada (988, 19.7 percent), and the US (608, 12.2 percent).

Translation: Fabrício Ferreira -  Edition: Fernando Fraga / Augusto Queiroz

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