KARACHI, April 19: Sale of locally assembled trucks plunged by 15.7 per cent to 1,714 units in 2011-2012 from 2,034 units in the same period of last fiscal year.

Hinopak truck sale fell by 14.2 per cent to 945 units from 1,102 units. An official in Hinopak Motors linked the decline in dale mainly to imposition of 16 per cent sales tax on commercial vehicles in July 2011 which made the vehicles costlier, thus hitting the purchasing power of commercial vehicle buyers.

He said truck sales were already suffering due to low trading activities, political instability, high diesel prices, adverse law and order situation and high inflation.

Nissan truck sales also dropped to 156 units from 349 units followed by a decline in Isuzu sales to 136 units from 265 units, figures released by Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA) said.

He said the truck sale actually indicates the trend of country’s import and export activities as bulk of goods (from ports to up-country) mainly move on big vehicles.

For inter-city movement of goods and also because of high prices of big trucks, some transporters shifted towards low priced Master trucks whose sales jumped to 478 units from 318 units. Besides, transporters involved in low volume of goods also lifted Japanese assembled pick-ups in higher numbers despite increase in their prices.

Suzuki Ravi and Toyota Hilux pick-up sales registered a rise to 12,636 and 2,858 units as compared to 11,486 and 1,776 units in July-March 2010-2011.

Overall bus sales rose by 11.5 per cent to 427 units in July-March 2011-2012 from 383 units in the corresponding period of last fiscal year due to big market share of Hinopak sale, otherwise rival players suffered sale setback.

Hinopak bus sales had increased by 22.7 per cent to 383 units as compared to 312 units, while other players, like Nissan, Master and Isuzu remained in hot waters.

The Hinopak official attributed the increase in bus sale to institutional business orders.

The assembler of Nissan buses produced and sold only six buses in July-March 2011-2012 as compared to zero production and sales in the same period of last fiscal year.

Total production and sales of Master buses stood only two each in the last nine months while no unit was produced and sold in the same period of last financial year.

Isuzu bus sales stood at only 36 units as compared to 71 units.

According to figures of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), import of completely built-up (CBU) trucks, buses and other heavy vehicles rose sharply to $93.2 million in July-March 2011-2012 as compared to $54.2 million in the same period of last fiscal year.

Sources said that the above figures mainly comprise used trucks, buses and other heavy vehicles of different brand names which is also a bad signal for the local industry.