Finland offers immense joint venture opportunities for the cash-starved Indian forestry and paper industry, according to Finnish ambassador Glen Lindholm."The Indian pulp and paper sector needs huge investments for their expansion and modernisation. Though Indian companies are competitive, they do not have the proper technology to scale up their activities," Lindholm said on the sidelines of a meeting today.The Indian paper industry is poised to increase the present output of 5.6 million tonnes to meet the projected demand of 8.3 million tonnes by 2010. This expansion would call for an investment of Rs.30,000 crore."We are capable of filling the gap. Finnish expertise and innovativeness in paper technology is among the best in the world," he said, noting that 20 years of research and development in the pulp, paper and the wood industry had catapulted Finland among the best in the world in the sector.Lindholm said his country could also offer its expertise in development and management of forest, which covers 70% land area of Finland - which also boasts of having 190,000 lakes.The majority of Finnish forests are owned by individual families and every fifth finnish family owns some forests and many households gain extra income by selling wood to the forest industry.
