Worker issues hit output, Maruti's August sales skid 13%

The country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday reported 12.74 per cent fall in sales for August to 91,442 units due to the ongoing labour unrest at its Manesar plant that affected production.

The company had sold 1,04,791 units in the same month last year, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a statement.

"The disruption in production at company's Manesar plant in end-August adversely impacted the sales numbers during the month," it added.

The Manesar facility rolls out MSI's high volume compact car Swift that has a waiting period of over three months. The plant also produces hatchback A-Star and sedan SX4.

Besides, the national capital-based company recorded sales of 77,086 units in the domestic market last month, a 16.82 per cent fall from 92,674 units in August, 2010.

MSI's exports in August, however, increased by 18.48 per cent to 14,356 units from 12,117 units in the year-ago period, the company added.

The total passenger car sales in the domestic market dipped 19.21 per cent to 63,296 units in August from 78,351 units in the same month of 2010, it added.

Sales of the company's mini-segment cars, including the M800, A-Star, Alto and WagonR, fell by 18.34 per cent to 37,496 units from 45,917 units in August, 2010, it said.

The compact segment (comprising Estilo, Swift and Ritz) witnessed a 26.93 per cent dip in sales to 16,043 units from 21,955 units in the same month a year ago.

Sales of DZiRE decreased by 6.82 per cent to 7,856 units from 8,431 units in the corresponding period a year ago, the company said.

MSI's mid-sized sedan SX4's sales slipped by 7.57 per cent to 1,893 units from 2,048 units in the year-ago month.

Luxury sedan Kizashi witnessed sales of 8 units.