18 Sept 2025
The Indian packaging paper industry is preparing for a price escalation of 6–7% in the coming months, as domestic producers continue to grapple with high wood costs, rupee depreciation, and global supply chain pressures. The anticipated rise comes on the back of recent government measures aimed at protecting the domestic industry from cheaper imports.
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has initiated anti-dumping investigations into paperboard imports from Indonesia, while the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has amended the Import Policy under Chapter 48 of ITC HS, 2022. Through Notification No. 26/2025-26 issued on August 22, 2025, the government has made Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) registration mandatory for select HS codes and imposed a Minimum Import Price (MIP) of ₹67,220 per MT on Virgin Multi-layer Paper Board (VPB) imports until March 31, 2026.
Several leading paper manufacturers have already begun revising prices. Bilt Graphic Paper Products Ltd. (BGPPL), in a circular to its channel partners, cited unabated cost escalations arising from currency depreciation, wood price inflation, and global uncertainties. The company said it would implement phased price hikes to minimize market disruption.
Similarly, Century Pulp and Paper announced a ₹3,000 per MT increase on virgin packaging board across all grades, effective August 26, 2025, to ensure uninterrupted supply and safeguard margins.
Industry executives echoed similar expectations. Bhavesh Gala, Managing Director, Infinity Industries Pvt. Ltd., said the sector anticipates a “price turnaround” as global wood prices rise, packaging paper prices stabilize, and pulp and fibre costs show signs of easing by late FY26.
Adding to the outlook, Pavan Khaitan, Kuantum Papers Ltd., said, “Two factors will drive paper and allied material prices. First, the printing and publishing industry picks up post-Diwali, which this year falls earlier on October 20. We expect escalation by mid-October. Second, early execution of government tenders will ease market pressure, balance demand-supply, and support stable, upward-trending prices.”
With festive demand, early tender activity, and import restrictions aligning, the industry expects firm but stable pricing momentum to continue into the final quarter of 2025.