Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India suffered a 17 percent drop in its sales last month, despite having a waiting list for over 100,000 Swifts. The drop in sales was primarily due to the disruption in production thatw as caused by the workers’ strike at its Manesar plant. The strike lasted for over a month. Maruti Suzuki India sold 78,816 vehicles in September compared to 95,148 vehicles during the same period last year. Its exports volume also suffered. Shipment of cars for export markets fell by nearly half of the number of cars it exported in September ’10. 6749 vehicles were exported last month as compared to 12858 vehicles during September last year.

Maruti’s Manesar plant manufactures the Swift, SX4 and the A-star.