OCCI team to study issues of automotive sector

We are in the process of establishing a team comprising a group of business owners affiliated with the OCCI

REDHA AL SALEH Chairman of the Board of Directors of OCCI

The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) has formed a team to study the major issues facing the automotive sector in the country in the wake of the pandemic and in carrying out business in future.

Speaking to the Observer, engineer Redha bin Juma al Saleh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of OCCI, said that the committee shall be assigned to study the issues of both new and used car agencies and vendors and retailers of spare parts.

“We are in the process of establishing a team comprising a group of business owners affiliated with the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, specialised in the automotive and spare parts sector, to study the issues facing the sector in general and each segment in particular,” Al Saleh said.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with various business owners in the sector at the OCCI, he said automotive agencies and spare parts vendors were considered one of the important commercial sectors in the Sultanate.

“Automotive sector is linked to the activities of a number of vital sectors such as the logistics, service and retail sectors and we consider the sector as a vital feeder to the economy.”

The critical challenges being faced by the sector are high-cost fees and procedure processes. The business owners discussed these issues during the meeting and came out with suggestions to streamline the sector.

The participants also discussed Omanisation of the profession of sales promoters and challenges associated with the decision affecting the companies’ activities.

The team will study broad-based challenges that directly affect local companies’ activities, especially with the price control policies followed in the Sultanate with a narrow profit margin and the reasons that lead to high car prices, and submit reports in a time-bound manner.