40% increase in Canon camera sales in Kerala

The digital imaging company Canon India has consolidated its foothold in Kerala in the digital SLR camera segment registering 40 per cent growth.

This is the highest growth rate in the country, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 26 per cent and Tamil Nadu, Alok Bharadwaj, Executive Vice-President, Canon India, said.

Kerala has emerged as the foremost contributor with 85 per cent of the total camera business for Canon in the State, he said, adding that the company has garnered a sales revenue of Rs 50 crore last year and aims to double it this year.

Bharadwaj was here in connection with unveiling Onam offers for the Kerala market.

Massive growth

He pointed out that the digitisation in photography has witnessed massive growth in digital cameras and so has the industry in the recent past. With expanding photography horizon, the industry has moved ahead in innovating and introducing new technologies that cater to photographers across categories, he said.

The Rs 2,000-crore digital SLR market in India has the potential to grow. However the market in 2013 is estimated at 2.5 million units and it needs to be doubled by 2015. The global market size is 20 million units, he added.

Owing to massive digitisation in photography, he said, Canon plans to reach 50 per cent growth mark by 2013 end. With a Rs 500 crore business revenue achieved last year nationally, the company is aiming Rs 550 crore this year, he said.

To a question, he said the rupee devaluation has made an impact on the company’s import cost which has gone up close to 15 per cent in the last two months. The company increased the prices of other products such as printers and copiers, but not cameras.