VW Mexico exports down 18 pct in first half of 2002

MEXICO CITY, July 3 Reuters reported that low demand in the United States translated to an 18.3 percent drop in exports in the first half of 2002 for Mexico's subsidiary of German automaker Volkswagen, the company said on Wednesday.

Volkswagen, Mexico's biggest auto manufacturer, exported 136,830 units during the first half of the year, compared with 167,567 units during the same period in 2001, according to figures from the Mexican Auto Industry Association (AMIA).

A VW spokesperson said 117,125 of total exports from January to June were sent to Canada and the United States, its main market. Another 18,620 units went to European Union markets, and 1,085 units were sent to Asia and South America.

Mexico's automobile industry has been hit by slower economic activity in the United States, the destination for 85 percent of Mexican exports.