Worldwide semiconductor sales rose 2.2 percent to $20.6 billion in July, an industry group said on Tuesday, helped by rising demand for consumer electronics.

The Semiconductor Industry Association said in a statement that despite severe competition in the sector in the early part of the year, worldwide chip sales were on track with its forecast of 1.8 percent growth in 2007.

Major demand drivers for semiconductors -- personal computers, cell phones, and other consumer electronic products -- appear to be growing in line with analysts' projections, said SIA President George Scalise.

Demand for microprocessors, MOS logic devices, and NAND flash memory products helped support sales, which rose 3.2 percent from the previous month.

Microprocessor unit sales increased nearly 5 percent from June while average selling prices rose by more than 3 percent

(Reporting by Christopher Kaufman in New York and Jennifer Robin Raj in Bangalore)