Newsprint to cost 15% more

The current quarter has already seen a price increase of about 6 per cent.  Newsprint prices are revised on a quarterly basis and the current quarter has seen companies raising prices by an average Rs 1,500 a tonne to Rs 26,500-27,000 a tonne (for 45 grams per square metre or GSM).  With a hike of 15 per cent, prices are expected to be in the range of Rs 30,500-31,000 a tonne from April onwards.  During 2006-07, prices had crashed from 30,000 to 25,000 tonnes, prompting producers globally to shift to finer varieties for better realisations. The resultant shortfall in availability is also supporting prices.