Maruti eyes new export markets

The country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki today said it intends to tap a host of new export markets like the Middle East, South America and Australia.

"We are currently exporting our cars to the European countries but now we will start exploring new markets such as Africa, South America, the Middle East and Australia to boost our exports," Company's Deputy General Manager H S Brar told reporters here.

Maruti has posted a robust 135 per cent growth in exports during April and December 2009 by shipping 1.05 lakh cars against 45,000 cars exported in the corresponding period last fiscal. "Bulk of export constituted our A-Star model car to European countries," he said.

The company has targeted to export 1.30 lakh cars by this fiscal end against 70,000 cars exported in 2008-09, he said.

Talking about sales in the northern region, Brar said the company recorded 30 per cent growth in cars sales in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana (excluding NCR), Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh during the first nine months till December 2009 against the national growth of 22.5 per cent.

"We are on an average selling 8,000 cars per month in these markets, which have grown by 30 per cent in April till December 2009," he said.

Asked if prices are going to be hiked, Brar said though the input prices of led and aluminium had increased in the range of 35-60 per cent from March till December 2009, the company has still not decided to increase car prices.