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Auto sales slump due to hefty import duty

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KATHMANDU, July 13: As the government has imposed one of the world´s highest import duties - 240 percent - on automobiles, it is no wonder that the sales have declined this year.



Shekhar Golchha, president of Nepal Automobile Dealers´ Association (NADA) said that with hefty duty on auto-mobiles, the price of vehicles has shot up to such an extent that the industry has been badly affected. He said "The government is always targeting automobile sector as a major source of revenue, and the banks hesitate to sanction auto loans." Highlighting the role that automobile sector can play in nation´s economy; Golchha urged the government to provide some tax rebate on automobiles in order to revive the sector. [break]



"The sales of automobiles have gradually decreased over the recent years. While the necessity of vehicles has increased, their accessibility has not," said Om Prakash Sharma, Director of Mahabir Automobiles. According to Sharma, the sales of four-wheeler vehicles can hardly pick up until the government avoids taking automobiles as luxurious items.



Citing the impact of increasing value of the US dollar these days, Deepak Kumar Agrawal, Corporate General Manager-Business Development at MAW Enterprises says, "Though the market has positively responded to the entry level of the Sedan model of vehicles, the Sedans of luxury level have witnessed down growth this year." He also informed that the sale of SUV model of automobiles has gradually decreased this year as compared to the previous years.

However, automobile entrepreneurs are optimistic that the sale will take a good height once the budget is endorsed on time and the government becomes flexible toward the industry.



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