PV retails dip 5% in August; Fada raises alarm over rising inventory level

Passenger vehicle retail sales in India witnessed a 5 per cent on-year decline in August on account of delayed customer purchases, poor consumer sentiment and persistent heavy rains, industry body FADA said on Thursday.

The overall passenger vehicle (PV) registrations last month stood at 3,09,053 units, as compared to 3,23,720 units in August 2023.

"Even with the arrival of the festive season, the market remains under significant strain... Inventory levels have reached alarming levels, with stock days now stretching to 70-75 days and inventory totalling 7.8 lakh vehicles, valued at an alarming Rs 77,800 crore," Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) President Manish Raj Singhania said in a statement.

Rather than responding to the situation, PV Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) continue to increase dispatches to dealers on a month-on-month basis, further exacerbating the issue, he added.

"FADA urgently calls upon all banks and NBFCs to intervene and immediately .