Steep rise in newsprint prices
Newsprint prices are
heading out of control
as these are moving up
sharply by around 20% in a matter
of just over three months to touch
a high of $750 per tonne.
In fact, newsprint accounts for
55-65% of the total cost of
producing a newspaper and as
on today, quite a lot is being
imported. It used to be available
at $380 (Rs 18,420 then) per tonne
during Nov-Dec, 2002 and has
reached at more than $750 per
tonne.
It seems that the Union Budget
2008-09 promising an excise duty
cut of 4 per cent on paper,
paperboard and articles
manufactured of nonconventional
raw materials may
not really help to bring down the
prices of newsprint effectively.
This issue was being discussed
regularly at all ‘forums’. Which
has resulted into the reduction of
custom duty by two percent.
With effect from April 29, the
custom duty so applicable shall
be three percent.
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