In order to solve the paucity of raw materials and increase employment opportunities in rural areas, the Indian paper industry has petitioned the government to grant paper mills a long-term lease on degraded land for pulpwood plantations.
The business has made clear that there is a sizable amount of degraded land in the nation; even a little portion of this property might be leased to paper mills for pulpwood plantations, which could have a significant impact on the expansion of the industry and the greening of India.
The Indian Paper Manufacturers Association (IPMA) stated in a statement on Saturday that the mills’ top issue is the scarcity of wood, which is a crucial raw resource for the paper sector.
The IPMA indicated that pulpwood plantations need to be improved quickly in order to fulfill the demands of domestic industry, even though the paper sector is still pursuing agroforestry activities.
“Even if a fraction of the degraded land available in the country is provided on lease to the industry for pulpwood plantation, the same can be a game changer for growth of domestic manufacturing, rural empowerment and greening of India,” said the report.
“We have been trying to convince the government that this land can be given to the paper industry on long-term lease. It will provide the desired quantity of wood not only to paper mills, but to several wood-based industries while generating a huge amount of rural employment,” IPMA President Pawan Agarwal said.
Agarwal stated that if local agroforestry is not promoted, there will be a need to import more wood pulp and wastepaper, which will put a significant burden on the economy and industry.
The IPMA added that over the past few years, the sector has effectively brought over 12 lakh hectares of mostly degraded land under plants through agroforestry by working tirelessly with over 5 lakh marginal farmers to procure wood.
For many years to come, the IPMA projects that the nation’s paper consumption will increase by 6–7% annually. The IPMA stated that the increased use of paper in various economic sectors can be attributed to its suitability as a sustainable and biodegradable material for packaging, particularly when substituting single-use plastic.
It said that the action will lessen the nation’s carbon footprint. It further stated that by 2030, India must restore 25–30 million hectares of degraded land to forests and tree cover, adding to the country’s 2.5–3 billion tonne carbon dioxide equivalent carbon sink.
Read More: Click Here