Newsprint demands expected to reach 2.8 million tonnes by 2020

Growth in literacy rates, rise in circulation of printed newspapers and launches of newspapers and magazines in the regional domain in India are the key factors that trigger the increase in demand for newsprint in the country which is expected to reach 2.8 million tonnes by 2020. This is estimated in a study by Care Ratings, one of the largest credit rating agencies in India. In the beginning of 2017, paper companies did not undertake price hikes because of factors such as competition from imports, stabilisation in wood prices and lower power and fuel cost.

In the first three months of 2018, pulp prices in Europe, China and North America increased when compared to the last three months of 2017 due to steady demand and lower levels of recycled fibre availability in China due to recent import restrictions. As an aftermath effect, newspapers like Amar Ujala, Hindustan and Dainik Jagran hiked their cover prices to Re 1 to tackle the increased newsprint costs. Dainik Bhaskar adopted advanced presses which expected to generate mileage advantage of about 4.76 percent.