Paper cos face margin pressure; imports up 40% in three quarters of FY18

Rising imports are putting pressure on local paper manufacturers.
 
The 10 per cent price difference between imported products, mainly Chinese, and the locally produced ones, are hitting companies in a big way. Imports of papers and paperboards have increased nearly 40 per cent during the first three quarters of the current financial year.
 
Imports of papers and paperboards hit 1.47 million tonnes during April-December 2017-18 from 1.05 million tonnes a year ago and 1.42 million tonnes in 2016-17.
 
During April-December, imports of papers and paperboards from ASEAN and South Korea, with whom India has Free Trade Agreements