Domestic industry frets over surge in paper imports

Imports jump to an all-time high of 10.5 lakh tonnes in H1FY18

The import of paper and paperboard in India rose by over 60 per cent during the first half of the current financial year to touch an all-time high of 10.5 lakh tonnes, as against 6.5 lakh tonnes a year ago, according to the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS) data released on Wednesday.

Alarmed by the situation, the domestic paper industry has asked the government to slap anti-dumping or safeguard duty on paper imports. In a letter to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA) said, “Unbridled growth in import of paper is hurting