Paper & paperboard imports jump 20% to 1.76 mn tonnes in Apr-Dec: IPMA

Paper and paperboard imports into India jumped by 20 per cent to 1.76 million tonnes in the April-December period of 2024-25, according to the Indian Paper Manufacturers Association.

In value terms, paper and paperboard imports surged to Rs 11,196 crore (USD 1.3 billion) - breaching Rs 10,000 crore for the first time in the nine-month period, the association said, adding that in volume terms the shipments are the highest for the nine months.

A significant contributor to this surge is the 36 per cent increase in imports from China and a 23 per cent increase from ASEAN in volume terms, exacerbating the challenges faced by Indian paper manufacturers, IPMA said.

India remains the fastest-growing paper market in the world, yet the domestic manufacturing sector is struggling since the rising demand is being increasingly met by imports, IPMA President Pawan Agarwal said.

This paradox - where demand is growing while domestic manufacturing suffers - is a rare and alarming situation, he added.

The situation is highly concerning for virgin fibre paperboard, one of the growth drivers for the industry, IPMA said. The surge in imports of virgin fibre paperboard has more than tripled since 2020-21.

The landed price of these imports, especially from China and Indonesia, is significantly lower than the domestic production cost, and in many cases even lower than global pulp costs, Agarwal said.

IPMA has sought policy interventions by the government to curb predatory imports of paper and paperboard by ensuring a level playing field for Indian manufacturers in the domestic market.