The abundance of pesos and low-interest credit drives demand, but the motorcycle industry cannot take advantage of it due to a lack of merchandise. According to ACARA, the chamber of traders, 31,797 units were patented in September, which represents a year-over-year decline of 19.9%. It is the second month of contraction since shipments fell by 8.7% in August. coincides with the tightening of inventories on imports starting in June.
Concern in the industry is widespread. “We are in a very delicate moment, we have to release inputs for production and thus be able to continue to work normally ”, said Lino Stefanuto, head of CAFAM, the chamber of brands that assemble in the country. There are 16 in total, including Honda, La Emilia (Motomel), Grupo Iraola (Corven and Zanella), Gilera and Yamaha.
A strong recovery in the sector was expected at the beginning of the year after a two-year pandemic, with the official boost to consumption of programs now 12 and the Plan my bike, which finance in installments at rates below market rates. It is estimated that it ranged between 520 and 540,000 units. In this new context, the companies are content to sell about 460,000 motorcycles (an increase of 15% compared to 2021).
“Today we have a serious difficulty in guaranteeing production and we are at the limit with parts and components,” said an industry source. Brands agree that until last month “there was a product, but From now on some lines and models may become scarce”If the restrictions on imports and access to the dollar are maintained.
Referring to the decline in patents, the head of ACARA’s Automotive division, Horacio Jack, stressed that “in September the problem of imports had its repercussions both in units and in parts”. The evolution of sales in the last 6 months has been saw and in May it reached its maximum, when there was an increase of 88.4% on an annual basis.
Since June, the situation has been complicated. However, “in the cumulative of the year the sector recorded a growth of 16% compared to the same period of the previous year”, states the ACARA report. The market expected a stronger recovery after the difficulties caused by the pandemic and the mandatory quarantine.
The signs coincide with the fact that the setbacks began with the resignation of Martín Guzmán and the significant loss of central bank reserves. “First it was Circular A 7532, which forced us to finance the payment of imports in 180 days. Subsequently, with the changes in the economic endowment, changed the interlocutors and the dynamics to approve the entry of goods and everything has become more confused ”, they complain.
Some even point out that import restrictions can alter the participation levels of each brand. Between January and September, the Japanese Honda leads the market with 67,891 units sold, or 21.2% of the total. Further behind Motomel (13.9%), Corven (12.6%), Gilera (11%) and Zanella (10.6%).
Most of the imported motorcycles, again according to the ACARA report, come from Brazil: they represent 28% of the total accumulated in the first 9 months of the year. Followed by China (22%), India (14%), Thailand (6%) and Japan (5%), which makes sense since in Argentina two of the leading brands (Honda and Yamaha) occupy leading positions in the ranking of sales.
The use of motorcycles increased during the pandemic as an alternative vehicle to public transport.
Source: Clarin
