São Paulo – Motorcycle exports from Brazil were up 27% year-on-year in Q1, The Brazilian Motorcycle, Moped and Bicycle Manufacturers Association (Abraciclo) reported this Wednesday (12).
From January to March, 17,400 motorcycles were exported, up from 13,749 in the comparable period of 2016.
In March alone, foreign sales amounted to 5,700 units, up from 4,721 units in March 2016, but slightly down from 5,900 units in February.
Industry output stood at 231,300 motorcycles, up 1.6%. In March, 82,400 motorcycles were made in Brazil, up 22.3% from February and 2.3% from March 2016.
Abraciclo notes that Carnival season meant there were four business days less in February than in March, and this had an influence in the major growth in output.
The number of motorcycles sold domestically 210,900 in Q1, down 12.1% from Q1 2016 numbers.
In March, 82,800 motorcycles were sold in Brazil, up from 60,400 units in February and down from 86,900 units in March 2016.
Press material quoted Abraciclo chairman Marcos Fermanian as saying that although numbers have improved slightly, the market remains cautious, and earlier projections remain unchanged. Exports are expected to be up 57.6% in 2017 at 93,000 units shipped abroad, with output seen widening by 2.5% to 910,000 units.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum