The Hindu Business Line : Handmade Paper Institute’s unit to be privatised soon

Pune, Nov. 15 The Government-run Handmade Paper Institute in Pune is all set to hand over its production unit to the private players. Reduction in pulp production is cited as the main cause.

Mr S.S. Shewale, Director, Handmade Paper Institute, told Business Line that tenders had been called for and the handover to the private player would happen in the next couple of months. He said the unit has a production capacity of about 240 kg a day.

“But only about 60-70 kg of pulp is produced from this unit.

“The revenue due to the decrease in production is also affecting the unit and if this is handed over to the private player, then with the installation of new machinery and better controls, the full capacity can be utilised,” he said.

Around 84 personnel are working in this unit of which about 40 per cent are women. Commenting on the handmade paper industry, Mr Shewale said about 74 units were functioning in Maharashtra.

The total turnover from these units had touched Rs 35 crore last year and this year it was estimated to cross Rs 45 crore.

Asked about the contribution of exports in this, he noted that it was negligible as the units made sales to the domestic players who in turn sold it in the export market.

He said the Institute, which has training and research and development units, was now looking at increasing the number of handmade paper units in the country to 200 within a year.

Mr Shewale said the Institute has also identified ramie fibres which could be utilised for the strengthening of the paper pulp.

Currently, the paper pulp was being strengthened by use of imported wood pulp, which costs close to Rs 35,000-40,000 a tonne. The requirement was about three tonnes a day, he said.

The raw materials that are usually used include cotton rags, hosiery, jute, paper waste and agricultural waste such as bagasse and banana fibres which usually had only small fibres and did not have the necessary strength.

He said the research on ramie fibres had been on for the past one year and a city-based builder had agreed to cultivate the plant in his farm. He added that the ramie plant could be grown in any location.

The duration for the plant growth ranged between 45 and 60 days, after which the entire plant could be used along with the pulp. He said the outer covering was the hardest which could be substituted for the imported pulp while the inner pith was of a lesser strength.

He said the end product – the bleached paper – could be used as writing material while the unbleached paper could be utilised for packing purposes. Mr Shewale added that the Institute was also in the process of developing bio-degradable and environment-friendly methods.

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