Sony plans raising local sourcing to offset import duty hike

Press Trust of India  |  Kolkata 

To offset the import duty hike on electronic products, today said it will raise local sourcing to 55 per cent in the current fiscal, up from 30 per cent now.

He was speaking to reporters adter the launch of Bravia TVs and offers for the upcoming football season.

In December last year, the government raised customs duty on various including mobile phones, ovens and cameras to boost and create jobs.

India's local production is through contract manufacturing via a tie-up with Taiwanese firm

To a question if Sony will consider setting up manufacturing on its own, Padmanabhan said the third party production arrangement has been successful for the company so far.

Sony will continue to import fully-built TVs from 65 inches and above, and cameras as well as few

He said raising local production level will help revive some of the lost margins due to hike in customs duty which was absorbed.

Customs duty for completely built units had been raised to 20 per cent from December last year.

Sony is hoping to cash in on the upcoming soccer fever which may offer a 10 per cent additional rise in demand nationally and 50 per cent in the markets of West Bengal, North East and where football is a very popular sport.

claims to have a 25 per cent marketshare in TVs which it plans to raise to 35 per cent by 2019.

The Japanese electronic will launch at least four new models and initiated local football-led marketing campaign.

TVs under the brand 'Bravia' accounts for 60 per cent of its revenue in India.

The company is seeing traction in audio and high-end products segments and expects their contribution to rise in the mid-term (2-3 years), Padmanabhan said.

Sony is also exploring for However, the company declined to share further details.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Thu, May 24 2018. 18:15 IST