Twenty-seven brands of air-conditioners have been pushed out of the Chinese market, the Economic Information Daily quoted a State Information Center (SIC) survey as saying yesterday.

According to the report on China's air-conditioner industry in 2005, domestic sales of air-conditioners rose steadily while exports remained the same as last year.

The SIC survey, of 750 outlets and department stores in 106 cities across the country, found that the number of brands on the domestic market dropped to 69.

Of them, 48 enjoyed an individual market share of less than one percent in major cities.

The SIC report said competition among air-conditioner brands has become more fierce due to rises in raw materials, manufacturing and sales costs.

Merciless competition has made the strong stronger: Haier, Midea, Gree and Chigo, the top four brands in China, now control 54 percent of the market, according to the newspaper.

Although air-conditioner retailing has risen this year, its growth rate has slowed, Cai Ying, an SIC official was quoted as saying.

The newspaper attributed this to large stockpiling and relatively cool weather this year, saying there are still 10 million air-conditioners in storage.

Despite overseas anti-dumping measures and appreciation of China's currency, air-conditioner exports have maintained growth momentum since last year, the newspaper said.

From August 2004 to July 2005, China exported a total of 24.68 million air-conditioners, up 9.32 percent year on year.

Experts said they expected continued stable growth in the industry in the near future, the newspaper reported.

(Xinhua News Agency September 23, 2005)