"We have been selling Indian inverters before the load-shedding started but sales have been stagnant at present," said a sales executive at Auto Parts International at Kamal Arcade, Putalisadak. The company offers 15 percent discount with a two-year warranty.[break]
"Even though we have not increased the price in line with international trends, sales are very low. We are offering 30 to 40 percent discount so as not to lose the customer," informed a sales executive at Imperial International.
However, Pritam Kafle, manager of Hulas Power, a subsidiary of the Golchha Organization, differs. According to him, Xenon inverters and Exide batteries assembled by Hulas Power are doing better business this year than in the past.
After the government put a ban on the import of inverters in January 2010, local companies based in the Capital and elsewhere have started assembling the inverters within the country. Retailers assert that the price of batteries has gone up in the domestic market this year due to the strengthening of dollar, increase in transport costs, and international increment in the price of the materials used in inverters.
However, traders have not increased the price of inverters in light of retarding sales. The price of inverters ranges from Rs 7,500 to Rs 200,000, depending on the capacity. Currently, inverters of Sukam, Xenon, APD, Microtech, Digitech, Yasuda, Intex brands are available in the Nepali market.
For three hours of back-up, various options of inverters are available in the Nepali market. A 600VA inverter combined with a 150 Ampere battery gives 480 Watts that can be used to run a television set that consumes 65 Watts to 80 Watts and four to five CFL bulbs up to three hours. If the television is not used, it can give back-up up to five hours.
Republica presents the rates and warranty period of some of the inverters offered by leading brands and available in the market, with 600VA inverter and 150 Ampere battery combinations.
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