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Paper Industry in India is exhibiting “one of the fastest growths being witnessed anywhere in the world” and is most likely to continue this trajectory in the years to come as Indian economy is better placed to weather the storm caused by global upheavals, said A S Mehta , president, Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA).
Mehta was speaking the 16th PaperTech 2022 being held in New Delhi.
After the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, when paper consumption nosedived, the demand has made a robust recovery in the ongoing financial year and has overtaken pre-pandemic levels. In view of the large potential for growth aided by a growing economy, paper industry is expected to continue to grow in sync with the economic growth recording 6-8% growth per annum.
According to Mehta, for making the industry world-class, raw material security is a must. Currently the cost of procuring wood in India is upwards of $100 per tonne while the same in other competing countries that have advanced paper manufacturing is $60 per tonne. Being competitive is a prerequisite to becoming world class and for that raw material security needs to be strengthened.
Industry driven agroforestry being undertaken in collaboration with more than five lakh farmers needs to be augmented to a large extent to meet the current and future needs of the industry for pulpwood. So far, with the efforts of wood-based paper mills, 12 lakh hectares has been brought under agro / farm forestry across the country, with significant environmental benefits.
Substantial amounts have been spent by the paper industry on plantation R&D leading to development of high-quality tree clonal saplings which are disease and drought resistant and can be grown in a variety of agro climatic conditions. Technical extension services are being imparted to the farmers over a gestation period of 4-5 years to improve agro / farm forestry output.
This has generated significant employment opportunities for the local community, especially in the rural areas, apart from enhancing their incomes.
India’s paper industry is wood-positive as paper mills plant more trees than they harvest. Mehta asked for increasing the plantations under agroforestry with the involvement of all wood-based industries, like being done by the Paper Industry, to make India truly atma nirbhar in sourcing raw material.
Another area that he emphasised upon for turning paper industry world-class was by altering perceptions about the industry and thus attracting better talent as a responsible manufacturing industry that actively works towards conserving the environment.
According to Mehta, misplaced perceptions about paper need to be changed in a mission mode as paper is an environment friendly product as it is fully biodegradable, recyclable and made from sustainable and renewable resources.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/indian-paper-industry-is-expected-to-continue-growth-momentum/articleshow/94326048.cms