Motorbike manufacturers in Vietnam forecast two-wheeler sales will surpass 2.5 million units in 2007, up 13.6 per cent on year, local media said.
“We strongly believe in the sales target, after witnessing the sharp sales rise in the first two months of this year,” a Hanoi-based vehicle dealer said.
From January to February, selling volume of the motorized two-wheeler surpassed last year’s quantity by 150,000 units, he said.
Vietnam’s four largest motorbike makers, all foreign-led joint ventures, namely Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and SYM, reported combined sales of 174,000 units in January, up 29 per cent on year, and 128,000 units in February, up 28 per cent.
Honda Vietnam and Yamaha Vietnam enjoyed the strongest sales boost, with a combined two-month volume of 175,000 units, up 41 per cent on year.
In February, Japanese-led Yamaha Vietnam sold 100,000 units, up 49.25 per cent on year.
However, Suzuki Vietnam suffered a 33.33 per cent sales drop in the two months, to roughly 10,000 units.
Dinh Ngo Tuan, Marketing Director of Yamaha Vietnam, said sales in the central and northern regions increased over 40 per cent and over 30 per cent, respectively.
Do Quang Hien, Chairman of T&T Co. said selling volume by Vietnamese-run makers was also high in the two months, citing his company’s sales up 10 per cent and Hoa Lam Kymco’s scooter sales up 50 per cent.
The sales jump is attributed to stronger demand, as registration policies are much easier.
Furthermore, many potential customers delayed buying decisions in hope of lower prices after Vietnam’s joining to the WTO. However, the price didn’t fall as expected.
Vietnam’s motorbike demand will be much higher in the future, at least for a decade, especially in rural and mountainous areas, Professor Kenichi Ohno of Japan National Institute of Policy Research said.
The market will reach a saturation point when some 30 million motorbikes are in circulation (versus population of 100 million people).
Vietnam now has more than 18 million motorbikes. (VNN)
Vietnamese
