Lada will enhance export of Russian-made cars to Latin American and Middle Eastern countries in 2019, Executive Vice President of sales and marketing for AvtoVAZ PJSC Jan Ptacek said, Metagazeta reports.

“First of all, we want to focus on the CIS countries, such as Kazakhstan, Belarus and Uzbekistan, as there is a very promising potential for brand development. In addition, we have projects for improving export sales in some countries of Latin America and the Middle East,” noted Ptacek at a press conference on the opening of modernized dealer centers in St. Petersburg.

Export sales of Lada in 2018 increased by 57% to 38 thousand cars (in 2017, the growth was about 30%). A third of sales for export fell on the model Lada Vesta.

The main export markets for AvtoVAZ remained, as before, the CIS countries: Kazakhstan - 13.1 thousand vehicles (+ 51%), Belarus - 10.4 thousand (+ 182%) and Uzbekistan - 2.6 thousand (+ 357%).

Total Lada is sold in 34 countries. From January, AvtoVAZ raised prices for Lada cars. On average, the price tag went up by 1525 thousand rubles. This is due to the increase in the value-added tax rate from 18 to 20%.

Earlier it was reported that in the first 11 months of 2018, Uzbekistan was among the three largest importers of Russian cars.