Overall, 28 lakh tyres were produced during the month, against 28 lakh units produced in the same month of 2000, figures released by Automotive Tyres Manufacturers Association (atma) said on Wednesday.

Production of car tyres fell by 13 per cent in the review month, owing to a negative 6.2 per cent drop in car sales in this fiscal.

Commercial vehicle (truck and bus) tyre production fell by 12 per cent to 6.6 lakh units during January over 7.5 lakh tyres produced in the same month last year. The segment had recorded a 23 per cent decline in sales in this fiscal.

The light truck vehicle segment also registered a 10 per cent fall in production at 1.54 lakh tyres over 1.7 lakh units produced in the year-ago period.

In the scooter segment which has been witnessing a drop in sales in this fiscal, tyre production fell by 22 per cent to 5.17 lakh units during January 2001 over 6.8 lakh units in the same month last year. Motorcycle tyre production also fell by 8.5 lakh units from 7.6 lakh units in January, 2000.

Production of jeep tyres stood at 78,319 units, down 24 per cent over 1.02 lakh units produced in January, 2000. In the tractor segment, front and rear tyre production fell by three per cent at 82,296 units and two per cent at 64,216 units respectively.

(PTI)