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New Delhi, May 4: Microwave ovens have emerged as the fastest growing category in India's 25,000-crore consumer durables market.

For the period April-March, 2005-06, the category recorded a growth rate of 81.8%, selling a total of 4,71,782 units for the same period according to ORG-GFK survey.

Microwave ovens also registered a growth rate of 55% in value terms at Rs 3715.55 crore. This growth is in sharp contrast with growth in other categories in the industry. Colour TVs have recorded a growth rate of just 7.7% for FY 05-06 with a number of players reporting negative growth rates.

Other categories like refrigerators and washing machines have also been growing at comparatively low rates of 7.7% and 3.9% respectively. According to industry experts, the overall consumer durable space grew just 6-7% last fiscal. According to Samsung India deputy MD Ravinder Zutshi, microwaves are witnessing aggressive growth because consumer durable companies are also expanding the sector by launching new products and building awareness. The category is also expanding because Indian consumers have started accepting microwave ovens as proper cooking devices rather than just as reheating appliances, say other players.

LG is the market leader in microwave oven segment with 37.2% share followed by Samsung with 23.4%. According to the survey, units sales growth rate in 2005-06 were as high as 999.9% for Onida, 232.5% for Videocon and 185% for Bajaj.

BPL is the only player posting a negative growth rate for established brands for both unit sales and value realisations at 29.5% and 25.2% respectively.

Unorganised sector and other small companies also posted a marginal growth rate of 1.1% and registered a negative growth in value terms at 7.6% indicating a consumer preference towards established brands rather than unknown brands.

Colour TV sales grew 11.3% to 8.4 million units. LG emerged as the leader with unit sales at 2,247,300 units and 26.7% share of the market. Samsung India came in the second place with a 14.4% market share at unit sales of 1,214,400.

Other categories like refrigerators and washing machines have also been growing at comparatively low rates. A total of 35,914 refrigerators were sold in the country in 2005-06. LG was the leader in market share with unit sales at 10, 382,00 units and a market share of 28.9%. Whirlpool was the category leader at 23.5 % market share with unit sales of 8434.