Sales of home appliances in rural China jumped 83.7 percent year on year in the first half of 2011, to 124.58 billion yuan ($19.28 billion), driven by a government subsidy,the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Tuesday.

Home appliances sold in the first six months increased by 56.7 percent year on year to 50.94 million,the MOC said in a statement on its website.

In June, 5.7 million subsidized home appliances were sold to rural consumers,4.4 percent lower over the same period last year but the sales increased 11 percent year on year to 15.05 billion yuan.

Refrigerators, televisions and air conditioners are the most popular appliances among the farmers in June, accounting for 73.7 percent of all home appliances sales,according to the MOC statement.

China introduced the subsidy program in February 2009 to spur rural consumption amid the global economic slowdown.

Under the program, farmers can receive subsidies equal to 13 percent of the prices of designated types of refrigerators, televisions, washing machines, computers, air conditioners, mobile phones, water heaters, microwave ovens and traditional ovens.

Another six types of home appliances including electric bikes, smoke exhaust ventilators, gas stoves, pressure cookers, electric cookers and DVD players, were added to the list of subsidized appliances last year.

As of June 2011, the government had handed out 42.5 billion yuan in subsidies to rural home appliance buyers to boost the sales of home appliances in rural China.

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