Covid-19 crisis: Maruti to Toyota, auto sales collapse in May amid lockdown

Production to reach last fiscal's level in second half: Bhargava

After reporting near-zero sales in April, auto companies resumed despatches in May.

But the volumes were disappointing with sales of passenger vehicles declining 86 per cent year-on-year for leading players. 

Auto firms in India count despatches to dealers as sales. 

Maruti Suzuki, leader in the car market, sold 13,865 units domestically. This was a year-on-year decline of 88 per cent, and a little more than what it would produce in just three days before the country went into lockdown, thanks to Covid-19. 

After the easing of lockdown in mid-May, auto companies were able to resume production in a phased manner, but the ramp-up was