Festive season holds hope for consumer appliances, auto cos after 2-yr lull

The harvest season, which marks the beginning of the New Year, is expected to spruce up sales

Automotive (auto) and consumer appliance companies are hoping for a bounty from the harvest season after two consecutive dry spells in 2020 and 2021.

The season, which also marks the beginning of the regional New Year, kicked in across the country from April 1 — Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra; Ugadi in Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh; Bihu in the Northeast; and Chaitra Navratri in the North.

Manufacturers and reta­ilers of cars, two-wheelers, and consumer appliances said they have seen demand pick up year-on-year (YoY) at a bri­sk pace across categories. The demand for air conditi­on­ers, refrigerators, and other con­sumer durables is expe­cted