Indian sales of consumer durables for January to May this year have been a mixed bag, with washing machines and air-conditioners showing rapid growth. Color television sales remained flat, and refrigerator sales reported a sharp decline.

According to AC Nielsen figures, color televisions recorded a growth of just 2 percent in volume for the 5 months of the year against the same period last year. In value terms, the category recorded a 3 percent decline.

Washing machines sales were up 15 percent this year, against the corresponding period last year. In value terms, the category reported a 22-percent increase.

Rising temperatures seem to have brought a smile on the face of air-conditioner manufacturers, as the category made fast progress, reporting a 40-percent growth in volume and 30-percent increase in value terms.

However, refrigerator sales, both in terms of volume and value, fared the worst among the four categories, showing a 7- and 4-percent decline, respectively.

"Even the much-hyped India-Pakistan cricket series earlier this year failed to lift the sales of color television sets to market expectations,' said an executive at one of the leading players of white goods.

According to National Council of Applied Economic Research, 212 households in 1,000 actually posses a regular-sized color television. With just 160 and 105 households out of a 1,000 having refrigerators and washing machines respectively, the two categories have a long way to go before they actually start showing any signs of stagnation. In addition, only 15 in a 1,000 households actually have a air-conditioner installed in their houses. (Business Standard)