Automobile sales fell 13.05 per cent to 41,289, 28 units because the pandemic severely eroded demand, industry body Siam said on Monday.

“A deep structural slowdown in the industry even before the pandemic, combined with the impact of Covid-19 in 2020-21, has pushed all vehicle segments back by many years,” Kenichi Ayukawa, president of Siam, said

“Recovery from here will require time and efforts, by all stakeholders. There is uncertainty in the value chain owing to semiconductors, lockdowns and raw material. In an environment of uncertainty, instead of trying to predict the future, we will all work hard to create it,” he added.

Data showed that passenger vehicle wholesales declined 2.24 per cent to 27,11,457 units against 27,73,519 units in 2019-20.

Total two-wheeler dispatches to dealers declined 13.19 per cent to 1,51,19,387 units, compared with 1,74,16,432 units in 2019-20.

Total commercial vehicles sales declined 20.77 per cent to 5,68,559 units last financial year against 7,17,593 units in 2019-20. Commercial vehicle sales during January-March at 2.1 lakh were less than sales recorded during the same period three years ago.

Dispatches of three-wheelers saw a drop of 66.06 per cent in the 2020-21 fiscal at 2,16,197 units, against 6,37,065 units in 2019-20.