Increase import duty on paper, paperboards to 25% in Budget: Industry body

Domestic paper and paperboard manufacturers have demanded a hike in import duty to 25 per cent on paper products and the imposition of a quality control order in the upcoming Budget to discourage cheap inward shipments. The Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA), in a statement on Monday, said that in its pre-budget submissions to the government, it has urged for increasing the basic customs duty on the import of paper and paperboard from 10 per cent to 25 per cent as India's WTO Bound rate is 40 per cent on these products. The association has also asked for the issuance of quality control orders (QCOs) for different grades of paper to ensure the supply of quality products to Indian consumers and check the import of sub-standard products into the country. IPMA President Pawan Agarwal urged the government to keep paper and paperboard on the negative list while reviewing the existing FTAs (ASEAN, South Korea and Japan) and formulating new ones. He mentioned that any increase i Read The Rest at :