PC sales post -7% growth rates

PC salesIndia reported negative growth rate of 7 per cent in the Personal Computer segment during the financial year 2008-09, apparently due to low demand across the segment under the impact of global slowdown.

PC sales during the last fiscal 2008-09 stood at 67.9 lakh units, as per data provided by Association for Information Technology (MAIT), the body that represents PC manufactures. However, the body hoped that PC sales may increase in the current year to cross 73 lakh units mark under the improving sentiments of the market.

MAIT Executive Director, Vinnie Mehta, said: "IT consumption in 2008-09 was severely impacted, especially in the second half of the fiscal, by the slowdown. Notebook sales declined by 17 per cent compared to a 114 per cent growth in the previous year and sales of desktops also declined by 4 per cent."

Multinational brand desktops reported an 8 per cent sales growth; while the market share of the Indian brands declined to 18 per cent from 22 per cent during the financial year 2008-09. Growth of assembled and unbranded PCs also declined 31 per cent from 33 per cent, reporting de-growth in the previous fiscal.