Plastic trays to replace corrugation boxes, manufacturers hit

Quote: Suffer losses

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“I used to earn about Rs 2 lakh annually from apple packaging cartons every year, but this year there is barely any demand.” — A manufacturer from Baddi

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, June 29

Corrugation box manufacturers are facing huge losses as the state government is switching over to plastic trays for packaging of apples on a trial basis.

There were 250 corrugated box manufacturing units in Himachal and they had barely received 10 per cent orders for apple cartons, said Surinder Jain, president, HP Corrugated Box Manufacturers’ Association.

If the production is good, about four crore apple boxes of about 20 kg each are used in the state. With adverse weather conditions such as hailstone, and disease striking the apple belt, the fruit production is slated to be less this year.

The Himachal Pradesh State Agricultural Marketing Board has approved use of plastic crates for transporting apples in selected markets yards in Shimla district. Though the move is aimed at bringing down the input cost, the growers have been raising issues of sudden price hike in plastic crates.

“The state government introduced corrugation boxes, several years ago, and this prompted investors to open tiny, small scale units for manufacturing boxes. Now, sudden change at a time when Covid-19 is looming large will deprive manufacturers of an opportunity to execute business,” said a carton manufacturer.

While some units are fully dependent on apple packaging, for others it is 20 to 30 per cent of their business. “I used to earn about Rs 2 lakh annually from apple packaging cartons every year, but this year there is barely any demand,” said a manufacturer from Baddi.

Manufacturers of cartons and trays have also been hit by this decision. Many cottage and tiny industries are engaged in this business.

As plastic is not an environment friendly option and globally its dependence was being reduced, manufacturers are not considering switching over to plastic trays to be a good option. “Skilled migrant labourers from various states such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Gujarat, who come in the apple belt every year for grading and packaging, will lose their livelihood, as filling apples in plastic crates requires no skills. Grading of apples through machines will also be hit,” said Govind, an apple grower from Kotkhai in Shimla district.

At a time when the Union Government is announcing packages to revive the industry, this move is slated to hit the corrugation box manufacturers in Himachal.