Japanese consumer durables firm Hitachi is reducing prices of air conditioners sold in India

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by up to Rs 9,000 with the introduction of a new range ahead of summers as it looks to push volumes in the country.

The firm's Indian subsidiary, Hitachi Home and Life Solutions India (HHLI) expects to register 30 per cent jump in its air conditioner sales to 1.7 lakh units by the end of this fiscal.

It has launched a range of ACs 'Kaze', which start at a price point of Rs 30,000 compared to the existing range, which starts at Rs 39,000.

"For our Kaze range, we have made the prices more competitive. We have made it closer to what is available in the market by our competitors, though we will still remain a player in the premium segment," HHLI Executive Director (Corporate Affairs) Amit Doshi told PTI.

The firm, which sells air conditioners and refrigerators in India in the premium segment, witnessed flat sales last year due to a slowdown in the market.

"Our sales have almost been flat, though we did not have any degrowth. We expect that this fiscal, we will be able to register a 30 per cent growth in terms of our AC sales and turnover," he said, adding that the company had sold around 1.3 lakh ACs last fiscal.

Doshi said the company is bullish on clocking good sales this summer season with the introduction of Kaze, which has been designed especially for the India market with an aim to penetrate into the tier II and III cities.