Bajaj witnesses a 23% slump in two-wheeler sales in December

Bajaj Auto on Monday announced that its two-wheeler sales in December last year slumped by 23 per cent to 247,024 units from 318,769 units registered in the same month a year ago. This sales number comprises both domestic and international retail. In the Indian market, the automaker posted a two per cent sales dip last month, with 125,525 units retailed, as compared to 127,593 units sold in December 2021.

In the overseas markets, the homegrown two-wheeler major shipped 121,499 units in December 2022, down 36 per cent from 191,176 units sold in the same month a year ago.

In the current financial year, Bajaj Auto claims to have sold 27,17,239 units between April and December 2022. This marked a nine per cent slump from 19,77,765 units recorded in the same period of the previous financial year. However, sales data published by the automaker reveals that its domestic sales during the first nine months of the current financial year showed a seven per cent uptick. It sold 13,90,698 units between April and December last year, while in the April-December 2021 period, it sold 13,01,984 units of two-wheelers in the domestic market.

The overseas sales of the two-wheeler manufacturer witnessed a 21 per cent slump in the April-December 2022 period. It sold 13,26,541 units in the first nine months of the current financial year, as compared to 16,75,781 units recorded in the same period of the previous fiscal.

Overall, the year 2022 posed a rocky road for Bajaj Auto. Domestic demand for two-wheelers remained weak throughout the year, with rural market demand dampened, which contributes most to two-wheeler sales, especially in the lower engine category. While in the first half of 2022, strong export markets were one saving grace for the auto company, despite weakness in the domestic market, export volume dropped in the second half of CY22, impacting the overall retail performance of the automaker.