Hyderabad: More than 80 per cent of the paper produced and used in India came from recycled sources such as wastepaper, agricultural residue, and bagasse, making the domestic paper industry one of the most sustainable globally, according to speakers at the industry expo Papexpo 2025.The statistic was highlighted to counter the lingering belief that increased paper use contributes to deforestation. “We need to stop treating paper as an enemy of the environment,” said Nirmal Kuhad, CEO of Papyrus Expo LLP, at the opening of the three-day event in Hyderabad on Thursday. “India’s paper industry is driven by recycling, and its role in sustainable development deserves more recognition.”Organised by the Paper Foundation and supported by the ministry of MSME, Papexpo is India’s first dedicated paper industry exhibition and brought together over 100 national and international exhibitors from paper manufacturing, printing, packaging, and recycling sectors.Speakers said the industry still battles misconceptions, along with challenges posed by imports and digital disruption. Soumyajit Mukherjee, chief marketing ifficer of Emami Paper Mills, said global demand for newsprint has halved from 2 million to 1 million tonnes due to digitalisation. He added that regional language newspapers have helped keep the format alive. “People are tiring of algorithm-driven content. A newspaper still tells you what you want to know, not just what you’re shown,” he said.Mukherjee noted that the kraft paper packaging segment was growing at 8.5 per cent, driven by e-commerce, and writing and printing paper is expanding at 3 per cent annually, supported by government literacy drives and school enrolment. He said coated paper is declining due to reduced demand for brochures and magazines.M.K. Goyal, general secretary of IPPTA, said the sector must reduce its reliance on imports and improve its image. “We let digital platforms dominate the narrative. That needs to change if the industry is to grow on its own terms,” he said.India’s per capita paper consumption remains low at 15–16 kg compared to the global average of 57 kg, and stakeholders at the expo said addressing that gap through domestic production and innovation is key.B.R. Rao of the Paper Foundation and Arvind Sharma of Papyrus Expo stressed the need for policy support and industry-wide collaboration to make India a hub for eco-conscious paper production. They also pointed to the industry’s significant contribution to employment and tax revenue.
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