The price of a standard Lucky Brand color film, the only Chinese-made film popular in China, has dropped 30 percent since early this month to 10 yuan, about half the price of imported brands.
An official of the Lucky Group, based in Baoding City in north China's Hebei Province, said the company could accommodate the price decrease because its production costs had declined annually by six percent in the past four years. The price reduction was a powerful blow against film smuggling and fake products.
Lucky Group is the only Chinese survivor of fierce competition with overseas film manufacturers. To date, a new Lucky printing outlet opens every day on average since 1999.
Currently, Lucky has 25 percent of China's film market, and it aims to control one-third of the Chinese market.
A survey by the China Central Television (CCTV) shows that Kodak ranks first in film sales in China. Kodak aims to control two-thirds of the market.
(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2002)
