Indian Paper Manufacturers Association President: Rethinking the Paper Industry

Like other industries in India, the Indian paper industry struggled over the past year. Owing to the continued closure of educational institutions and office premises, demand for writing and printing paper was severely affected.

Recently, AS Mehta, President of the Indian Paper Manufacturers Association and Chairman and Managing Director of JK Paper, told the media that the Indian paper industry is now actively fulfilling its responsibility as an essential services sector, earnestly restoring previously disrupted supply chains and striving to resume supply for all sectors.

Papermaking is an important part of India's manufacturing sector and one of its oldest industries. The industry's estimated turnover is 700 billion rupees (domestic market size: 800 billion rupees), and its contribution to the exchequer is about 50 billion rupees (note: the exchange rate between the rupee and the renminbi is about 1 Indian rupee ≈ 0.087 renminbi). The industry directly provides employment to 500,000 people and indirectly to about 1.5 million people.

The industry supports three important national goals: education for all, Green India and rural employment. At present, more than 1.2 million hectares of severely degraded land in rural India have been brought into pulp plantations to support greening, create rural livelihoods and increase farmers' incomes.

Over the past few years, the Indian paper industry has moved onto a sustainable development curve and become more technologically advanced. In the past three years, the Indian paper industry has carried out pioneering work in seedling cultivation, with newly developed saplings that are disease- and drought-resistant and can grow under various agro-climatic conditions.

However, the Indian paper industry also faces challenges. India is a fiber-deficient country — insufficient domestic raw material supply is the main constraint on the development of its paper industry.

Under Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), paper exported to India enjoys a zero-tariff policy, which is extremely unfavorable to the development of the industry. Over the past few years, the Indian paper industry has made a major leap in technological upgrading, process optimization and the introduction of best practices. Over the past 5–7 years, more than 250 billion rupees have been invested in the introduction of highly efficient capacity and green and clean technologies. Over the past five years, the Indian paper industry has cut energy consumption by about 20%. India's integrated paper mills convert more than 40% of electrical energy by utilizing biomass in the pulping process. A few years ago, the industry needed 200 cubic meters of water to produce one ton of paper; today, integrated mills have reduced this to below 50 cubic meters.

AS Mehta believes that the saying "save paper, protect the environment" is semantically inappropriate. Despite the false propaganda of vested interests, few industries in India can match the sustainability that paper offers. Paper is fully biodegradable and recyclable, and its raw materials are renewable and sustainable.

Unlike many industries, this industry not only protects the environment but also regenerates natural resources. It recycles most of its waste paper and recycles agricultural waste that would otherwise be burned in the fields. The use of paper greatly reduces e-waste and single-use plastics, the two most important global environmental problems. It can be said that the paper industry has struck a good balance between growth and sustainability. Innovation is becoming the new frontier for the paper industry. Multifunctional paper in various forms is also giving modern life more possibilities.

——This article is reproduced from China Packaging Network (pack.cn), original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-377927.html