Ukrainian car production halves in January-July

Despite recent government measures to boost domestic car production, Ukraine's automobile output slumped nearly 50 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of 2013. Industry body Ukravtoprom Analysis Group reported Friday a total of 23,311 vehicles were produced in Ukraine in the January-July period, some 23,205 units less than a year earlier. During the reporting period, the country's passenger car output declined by half to 21,353 units, while commercial vehicle production dropped 56.2 percent to 875 units, and buses output stood at 1,083 units, down 40.7 percent, the report said. In July alone, the country's vehicle production fell 24.5 percent year-on-year, but rose 11 percent on a monthly basis to 5,500 vehicles, it said. The government in April imposed emergency tariffs of 6.46 to 12.95 percent on auto imports in a bid to encourage domestic sales.