Lower crude, rupee rate have no impact on consumer durables makers

Price hikes continue mainly because of higher Customs duty on appliances

The drop in crude price and rupee rate over the one and the half month has had no impact on input costs of consumer durables makers. 

Unlike FMCG firms, who’ve halted their second round of price hikes for now, durables makers will continue to raise product prices mainly because of higher customs duty on home appliances, senior executives across companies told Business Standard. The rupee also continues to be above the 67-68 level to a dollar at which costs were earlier benchmarked, executives said, putting pressure on margins.

“We have just increased card rates (product prices printed on paper) by