São Paulo – The Brazilian auto industry exported 334,501 vehicles in 2014, 40.9% less than the 566,299 vehicles shipped in 2013, according to data released this Thursday (08) by Brazilian Association of Automotive Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea, in the Portuguese acronym).
In December, 23.72 thousand vehicles were sold abroad, a drop of 8.7% over November and of 45.2% in comparison to December 2013. These numbers include the commercialization of cars, commercial vehicles, trucks and buses.
According to Carta da Anfavea (Anfavea’s Letter), the association’s monthly publication, regarding agricultural and road machinery 13.74 thousand vehicles were exported last year, a reduction of 12.2% over 2013. The total of disassembled (CKD) vehicles shipped was of 23,768, a drop of 5.1% in the same comparison.
In total, the industry’s revenue from exports stood at US$ 11.52 billion, a drop of 30.4% in comparison to 2013. In December, the turnover with the shipments was of US$ 750 million, a decrease of 37.6% in comparison to December 2013.
The association’s president, Luiz Moan, declared that the drop in exports is the result, specially, of lower sales to Argentina. “This country had macroeconomic problems in 2014, which impacted imported vehicle licensing with the number standing at 683 thousand vehicles, that is, a 29% drop in comparison to the 2013 market”.
Domestic market
Auto sales in Brazil dropped 7.1% in 2014 in comparison to the previous year, with 3,498,012 vehicles dealt. In December, 370,028 vehicles were sold, 25.6% higher than November. In the comparison to December 2013, there was an increase of 4.6%. These numbers include cars, commercial vehicles, trucks and buses, manufactured here or abroad, with the imports counting only 17.6% in the total, the lowest share in the last three years.
“Even with the improvement in December, sales were insufficient to reverse the year’s performance. A positive aspect was the recovery of credit since September”, adds Moan.
Production dropped 15.3% in the year, with 3,146,118 new vehicles manufactured. “The production decrease combines with low exports and the reduction in the domestic market. We faced difficulties in production because stock levels were high”, said Moan.
According to the association, the sector should close 2015 with the same numbers as 2014, but exports could increase 1%, and production, 4.1%. Anfavea’s estimation for this year brings down even more the share of imported vehicles in the Brazilian market at only 16%.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
