Madagascar to import 500 vehicles made by Chinese company Yutong

Madagascar will import 500 vehicles made by the Chinese manufacturer Yutong to improve common transportation in the Indian Ocean island country, local sources disclosed on Tuesday. "The technical and financial offers as well as after-sales services offered by the company Yutong meet our expectations," the leader of Malagasy transporters, Bernardin Andriambinintsolomora, told Xinhua. "The cars are scheduled to arrive in Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital, in June," Andriambinintsolomora added. The leader of Malagasy transporters said two commercial banks are ready to finance the purchase of these vehicles. "We are negotiating with the country leaders for the loan rate and the non- payment of the first payment for transporters." The transporters chose two categories of buses. One contains 40 seats with a length of 7.32 meters at a cost of 40,000 U. S. dollars. It consumes 13 liters of fuel per 100 km. Another contains 30 seats, with a length of 6.50 meters. It consumes 15 liters of fuel per 100 km and costs 30,000 dollars. The Malagasy government will guarantee to banks for transporters who will borrow money, according to Andriambinintsolomora. The import follows the visit of Malagasy transporters to China in December 2012, when they sought support from Chinese car manufacturers to improve transportation in Madagascar.