Indian digicam market records 47% growth: IDC

IDC research indicates that the Indian digital camera market evolved well during 2002-03 and recorded a 47% growth in this period as compared to 2001-02. This segment was pegged at 75,598 units with a market value of Rs 122 crore during the year 2002-03. Organized market totaled at Rs 78.9 crore during 2002-03, while unorganized segment accounted for almost 42% of total unit shipment. 

According to IDC, vendor initiatives coupled with end-user awareness and interest led to this upsurge in the digital camera market. Also, the increasing PC penetration created the desired foundation for digital camera usage in the country. Further, high momentum in the household segment for IT products like desktops and printers also fueled the digital camera market. 

IDC reports that the transition from the analog camera to digital camera has happened primarily because of added benefits like quality output, instant photography, sharing and communicating images. Aggressive pricing of digital cameras has also been witnessed across the industry. 

Given the high import duty levied this product, vendors revised their pricing, so as to realign the Indian end-user prices with the other country markets and hence, discourage the unorganized market activities.

Increasing vendor initiatives, price reduction, awareness programs, channel expansion were the highlights for the product of the year. Both, the IT and photography channel, have been used extensively for the product's distribution.

Though the digital camera segment is still evolving, IDC analysis say that the overall Indian digital camera market is expected to grow by 48.7% till 2004-05. 

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