Coated paper import into India has seen nearly a 70 per cent increase during the first quarter of the current financial year. Industry observers note that the export incentives by China have helped firms from that country to make inroads into India affecting the local industry even as the latter reiterated its demand for the creation of a robust raw material base.
“Against imports of 25,097 tons in the January-March quarter, the imports of coated paper went up to 42,971 tons in the April- June quarter. Almost 50 per cent of the import is from China. The import of coated paper from China went up from 13,345 tons in January-March to 19,165 tons in the April-June period,” the Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA) said.
According to Mr R. Narayan Moorthy, Secretary-General, IPMA, “In view of the global melt-down, the Asian paper market continues to remain vulnerable and major players\ from countries such as China and Indonesia are pushing large quantities of coated and uncoated wood-free grades of paper into the Indian paper market.”
He said that the cost, insurance, freight (CIF) price reigning at more than $800 a ton in January is now at little more than $700 a ton leading to a surge in imports. India is among the fastest growing paper markets in the world, despite the economic slowdown.
Printed matter worth Rs 3,500 crore in the form of books and journals is imported into the country at zero rates of duty affecting the paper industry as well as the 1.5 lakh small and medium printers.
The industry has reiterated its demand for the creation of a robust raw material base through implementation of the multi stakeholders partnership model proposed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests.
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