Printers to raise prices by 15 per cent

Protest against price hike of papers, 2-day token strike by printers of Ludhiana on Wednesday and Thursday
Ludhiana, May 1, 2016: The members of Offset Printers’ Association (OPA) took-out a procession on Sunday to protest the undue and unnecessary increase in the prices of kraft paper and duplex board. OPA called an emergency meeting and organized a protest march against unnecessary increase in the prices of raw material like dupex board and Kraft paper.

The OPA General Body meeting was held today 1st May, 2016 under the chairmanship of Mr. Kushl Kumar Jain, Sr. Vice President. Speaking on the occasion he said, It is seen that during the past 2/3 months there was constant increase in the prices of duplex board and kraft paper. The prices have been increased from 2 to 3 rupees per kg in the past couple of months. On the other hand cost other raw material, petroleum products and labour cost is increasing day by day. It is practically impossible to withstand this increasing costs, it is therefore we are going to increase our rates by 15 per cent w.e.f. 1st of May.

Mr. Amarjit Singh Mancoo, Vice President OPA said, the prices are being increased by the paper mills/dealers constantly and the printers are not getting any relief, because they are bound to supply the printed boxes and other material as per earlier committed prices. On the one hand printer has to purchase the raw material at higher price and sell the finished goods at lower prices due to earlier commitments/agreements. Mr. Mnoj Verma, Vice President said, the prices of the paper and paper board are being increased by the paper mills without any prior information, with the result the packaging industry has to face awkward situation as the orders for supply of corrugated and duplex boxes are booked 3 to 4 months in advance. It may therefore not be possible for us to supply the boxes at the earlier agreed rates. We are facing this situation for the last three months. Moreover the rates of the paper are being increased by the mills without any convincing reason. It is therefore it is decided to close our shutter for two day i.e. on Wednesday and Thursday (4th and 5th May), no material will be supplied to the customers on these two days. In case our just demands are not agreed we may go in for indefinite strike.

Printing and Packaging industry is already suffering due to non availability of skilled and semi skilled work force in this part of the country. Our business is also suffering due to slump in the market and due to tax free zones in the neighbouring states. Import of Chinese goods has added more suffering to the trade. If the prices of the paper and paper board are not controlled we may have to down the shutters.

We would like to draw your attention to the Essential Commodities Act 1955 in which all kind of paper are declared as an essential commodity. By this logic it is the duty of the Government to come to the rescue and check any undue increase in the prices of the Paper and Paperboard by the mills/dealers. The most genuine demands of the printers are:
i) There must be at least 3 month prior intimation for any increase in the prices; paper mills must make this information public so that the information may reach our customers and end users also.
ii) Since Paper is an essential commodity, complete specification, date of manufacturing and mill rates must be displayed on the wrappers.
iii) Government should consider giving some subsidy to purchase the raw material to save this industry
iv) The import duty on paper and paperboard may be abolished, so as to import the paper from other countries when there is shortage in India.