India's Appliance Makers Raise Prices Up to 8% Amid Copper, Steel Cost Surge

Appliance and electronics manufacturers in India are set to increase prices by 5-8% from October 1, citing rising costs of metals such as copper and steel. This will be the third round of price hikes this year for some companies.

Copper prices have risen significantly over the past year, increasing manufacturing costs, particularly in the air-conditioner segment where copper is a critical component. Haier India President NS Satish said the company plans to raise prices by around 5% on RAC from October 1 and may undertake further increases after Diwali and again in January if input costs continue to rise.

Other companies, including Blue Star, Godrej Appliance, Daikin, and Super Plastronics, have also announced or confirmed price hikes ranging from 4-10% across categories. Kamal Nandi of Godrej Enterprises Group said another industry-wide round of price increases has become 'inevitable' after commodity prices rose 8-10% since the last revision.

While some companies fear the hike could affect festive demand, others believe the impact will be limited, as dealers and distributors have already stocked inventory bought at older prices through pre-buying schemes in August and September.