Uzbekistan: General Motors' Output Crashes at Asaka Car Plant

Production at GM Uzbekistan plunged by 13.9 percent in the first two months of 2009 compared to the same period last year. The slump in output for six different models manufactured at the Asaka car plant near Andjian ranged from 2 percent to 32.1 percent, Uzreport.com reported April 1.

The automaker's output increased 13.5 percent in 2008, the report added. But the global economic downturn has hit sales hard both in Uzbekistan and regionally with Russian dealers returning thousands of unsold vehicles to the plant.

GM owns a 25 percent equity stake in the Uzbek project. Uzavtosanoat holds the other 75 percent.