Vietnam P&P production up!
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Paper production increases 12%
(25-05-2009)
HA NOI — The Viet Nam Paper and Pulp Association (VPPA) has forecast production and consumption of paper this year would be higher than last year, despite the economic slowdown.
The association said production was probably up 12 per cent, while consumption has risen 2 per cent.
VPPA general secretary Vu Ngoc Bao said demand for all kinds of paper, including news’print, writing paper, packing paper and tissue in the second quarter had risen by 10 to 23 per cent against the same period last year.
The VPPA said the nation last month consumed 80,000 tonnes of paper, up 14 per cent on the previous month.
Total stockpiled volume decreased from 75,000 tonnes in March to just 43,000 tonnes in April.
To date, the industry has roughly 35,000 tonnes of paper stockpiled, which is considered healthy.
The association forecast that paper demand would sharply rise this month as many consumers were awaiting the Government’s move to halveVAT on paper from May 1.
To boost production and consumption, paper producers have so far taken a series of effective measures, such as improving the efficiency of production lines, applying advanced technologies and reduced energy and labour costs while cutting prices to boost consumption.
Together with favourable conditions such as tax extensions and import tax cuts offered by the Government, paper producers have so far this year cut their prices three fold.
Due to the economic recession, most paper producers had to cut output by 20-40 per cent as there was more than 100,000 tonnes of paper stockpiled. — VNS
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