Maruti Suzuki India today said it is considering an increase in prices of its products from January next year to offset the impact of rupee depreciation.
"Considering the amount of pressure that we are having on our margins due to currency fluctuations, we have to do something. We are looking at a price hike in January," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Managing Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) Mayank Pareek told reporters here.
He, however, did not specify other details such as the quantum of price hike and whether it will be for the entire range of models or some select ones.
Talking about the impact of the weakening domestic currency, MSI Chairman R C Bhargava said: "The impact of the declining rupee and strengthening yen is that any import which is yen denominated becomes very expensive for us."
He said compared to about 50 paise per yen last year, the exchange rate is over 60 paise now.
MSI has both direct and indirect exposure to foreign currencies while importing components. It imports about Rs 8,000 crore worth of parts annually.
Last month, MSI hiked prices of its diesel cars by up to Rs 10,000 on account of higher input costs and appreciation of the Japanese yen. It raised the prices of diesel versions of compact cars Ritz and Swift and sedans DZiRE and SX4.
Other car-makers, including General Motors India and Toyota Kirloskar Motor, are also mulling a hike in prices of their products to offset the rising cost of component imports due to the depreciating rupee. These firms are at present evaluating the quantum of price increase to be effected.
Rupee depreciation is putting severe pressure on companies that import a substantial amount of components from overseas. The domestic currency was being quoted at Rs 51.80 per dollar in morning trade on the Interbank Foreign Exchange today.
The slump in the rupee comes at a time when auto-makers are witnessing a slowdown in demand.
MSI witnessed its sales drop for the sixth consecutive month in November, with the firm today reporting a 18.46% decline in sales to 91,772 units.
