São Paulo – Brazilian exports of motorcycles should grow 46% in 2012 as against 2011, with 98,000 units. This year, 67,000 units should be exported. The figures were disclosed by the Brazilian Association of Motorcycle, Autocycle, Scooter and Bicycle Manufacturers (Abraciclo) as were disclosed on Tuesday (6), at a press conference in São Paulo.
"We have not yet reached 100,000 a year,” said Roberto Akiyama, Abraciclo president, pointing out that sector exports are low. "It is a small volume, but 2012 will have significant growth in percentage terms,” he said.
According to the executive, "this growth should come from an effort of ours to ship the product to Latin American nations.” Currently, Brazil exports mainly to the countries of South America and a little to the United States and Europe.
Foreign sales in 2011 did not have a positive result for producers in the sector. Up to November, the two exporter brands, Honda e Yamaha, had sold 64,546 units. And sales abroad are estimated to reach 67,000 units this year, sector exports should end with a reduction of 3% over 2010, when sales abroad totalled 69,209 motorcycles.
The main factor responsible for reduction of exports was exchange rates. "The highly appreciated Brazilian real does not make the product competitive abroad,” said Akiyama.
On the domestic market, 2011 was a year of recovery in the sector. In the accumulated result for the year, up to November, trade totalled 1.93 million units, growth of 13.6% over 2010 and 8.5% over 2008, which, up to now, had seen the best year in history for the sector, with sale of 1.78 million units.
"We can still consider the domestic market one with enormous growth potential,” stated the president at Abraciclo, on presenting figures that show that in Brazil there is one motorcycle for every 11 inhabitants.
With regard to motorcycle production, this year the accumulated result was 2.035 million units, growth of 18.3% over 2010. The projection is for the sector to end the year with 2.141 million units produced. With regard to sales, the organisations forecasts that the year should end with sale of 2.06 million units sold on the wholesale market.
For 2012, Abraciclo forecasts are for modest growth. Production of motorcycles next year should reach 2.252 million, while sales should reach 2.154 million. In both cases, the projected growth as against 2011 is just 5%.
Apart from the president at Abraciclo, the press conference also included Eduardo Musa, vice-president in the Bicycle sector and Moacyr Alberto Paes, the executive director.
*Translated by Mark Ament
