The latest statistics released by the Ministry of Mine, Industry and Trade shows that 398 thousand and 800 tons of different types of paper was produced in the first five months of this year which shows an increase of 2.3 % compared to the production in the same period last year.
According to ISNA, the figures indicate that 307 thousand and 200 tons of cartons produced by the end of fifth month which had an increase of 31.9% compare the production of 223 thousand and 200 tons of cartons in the same period last year.
The production of chipboard and fiberboard had respectively the increase of 26.4 and 34 percent in this period and reached respectively 288 thousand and 200 m3 and 517 thousand and 200 m3 while they were respectively 228 thousand and 500 thousand and 100 m3 in the first five months last year.
Iran has achieved self-sufficiency in the production of many types of highly consumable paper and cardboard, including tissue and packaging paper (liner and fluting), but the production of printing and writing paper as well as newsprint was negligible. According to the secretary of the Syndicate of Paper and Cardboard Manufacturers, the most important cause is that the manufacturers face problems with paying VAT.
Moreover, since the fall of 2017, the writing and newsprint paper market has faced a shortage and rising prices to the point that some journals and newspapers have had to reduce the number of their pages in some intervals.
On the other hand, a review of the 124 internet portal (the portal of the daily price of the basic commodities) indicates that the approved price of each ream of Indonesian 70 gram is set at 173 thousand Tomans while the price of this commodity on the market fluctuates from 410 to 530 thousand Tomans.
The approved consumer price of each pack of 70 gram printing paper with the dimension of 100 x 70 is determined 145 thousand Tomans on the portal while it is available on the market at 145 to 150 thousand Tomans.
Moreover, the price of imported and domestic newspaper is set at 5800 Tomans and 10200 Tomans respectively, but the price of imported newspaper is from 10,000 to 16,000 Tomans a kilo on the market and the domestic newspaper price is from 10200 to 11,000 Tomans.