According to ISNA, since mid May of this year, the payment of the difference of the foreign currency from governmental currencies for the imported paper has been assigned to the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade as per a specific mechanism. The exchange rate for these types of paper is calculated at the rate of 3800Tomans for each USD, while the payment of the difference in the exchange rate for the raw materials of domestic paper production is on the agenda.

In addition in another plan, the raw materials for the domestic production of printing and writing paper, as well as newsprint are subject to the payment of the difference in the exchange rates, and like the imported paper, the currency for the raw materials for the production of the mentioned types will be calculated at 3800Tomans for each USD after the approval of the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade which will be referred to the Central Bank.

It should be noted that after the fluctuations of the exchange rate and the shortage of paper on the market, there had been various concerns on supplying writing paper and newsprint before the Minister of Islamic Culture and Guidance announced that the raw materials for the paper producers and the imported paper for the importers would be allocated the USD at the exchange rate of 3800Tomans.

The head of the Syndicate of Paper and Cardboard reported on the allocation of 200 million USD at the rate of 3800Tomans for the supply of raw materials and the imports of writing paper and newsprint and said, “If the government controls the exchange rate of foreign currencies, we will not have a rise in the price of these products.”

Concerning the publication of the list of the companies receiving the foreign currency of 4200Tomansfrom the Central Bank, it became clear that 203 companies imported paper with the governmental exchange rate for the imports of writing paper, glossy paper, cardboard and newsprint; therefore the price of these types of paper should not rise.

In this regard in an interview with ISNA, Babak Abedin, the head of the Union of Exporters of Printing Industry, referred that after the allocation and the payment of foreign currency at the exchange rate of 4200Tomans for the paper, the paper price has not increased since mid May this year and stated, “The prices have not increased since the allocation of foreign currency at the exchange rate of 4200Tomans for newsprint and writing paper.”

He added, “Of course, the normal 5 to 10 percent annual increase of paper price should not be ignored, because we should accept the growth of prices due to the increase in the expenses of transportation, salaries, energy factors, and inflation.”