BEIJING - China's biggest home appliance retailers reported slower growth in April, with a year-on-year increase of 18.5 percent, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

The growth rate for April was 17.9 percentage points lower than the growth rate posted during the same period last year, the MIIT said in a statement on its website.

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Retail sales of home appliances increased by 20.9 percent over the first four months of 2011, 6.1 percentage points lower than last year's growth during the same period.

Taking the first four months together, retail sales of home appliances increased 20.9 percent in China, 6.1 percentage points lower than sales from the same period last year.

Out of the 20 types of home appliances currently being monitored by the MIIT, only electric fans, drinking water dispensers and gas stoves reported faster growth in April, the statement said. Sales of washing machines, kitchen ventilators, water heaters and air purifiers saw negative growth in April, according to the statement.