HYDERABAD : The 65th Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Federation of Paper Traders’ Associations (FPTA) was inaugurated by Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla at Novotel HICC, Madhapur, on Saturday. Hosted by FPTA in collaboration with the Telangana Paper Merchants’ Association (TPMA), the three-day conference is being attended by more than 1,000 paper traders from across India.

The conference, being held from October 3 to 5, has returned to Hyderabad after 19 years. The event was attended by Rajesh Ponnuru, CEO, ITC Ltd. (PSPD), as Chief Guest, along with Pawan Agarwal, President, IPMA and CMD, Naini Papers Ltd.; A.S. Mehta, President and Director, JK Paper Ltd.; and Sushil Kumar Khetan, CEO and Whole Time Director, Emami Paper Mills Ltd.

FPTA President Rajesh Jain presided over the programme, joined by President Nominee T. Kishan Singh, TPMA President Abhishek Vijaywargiya, Reception Committee Chairman Prasad RG and TPMA Hon. Secretary Ashish Jain Bhansali.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla said the paper industry did not necessarily deplete natural forests, noting that a significant portion of its raw material came from recycled fibre, agro-residues and trees cultivated through agroforestry. He called for greater public awareness against misconceptions surrounding paper consumption and stressed responsible usage and recycling.

The Governor also highlighted the continuing importance of physical paper for education, governance, publishing, culture and public communication. He urged the industry to adopt constructive engagement with governments to address taxation-related concerns, including disparities in GST rates.

Rajesh Ponnuru said the Indian paper industry supported more than five lakh farmers, 600 mills, 6,000 traders and one lakh printers. He highlighted the sector’s growing use of recycled fibre, agro-residues and farm-grown wood and called for policy support to address inverted GST structures and unfair foreign competition.

Sushil Kumar Khetan said rising consumption and low per-capita usage provided significant growth opportunities for the industry. He called for greater adoption of sustainability, recycling, automation, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and process innovation.

A.S. Mehta said the paper ecosystem needed greater self-reliance and technological adoption to remain competitive. He stressed the importance of resource efficiency, sustainable raw material sourcing and deeper customer understanding.

TPMA President Abhishek Vijaywargiya said paper continued to play a fundamental role in preserving knowledge and enabling education and economic development. He said the future should be viewed as “paper and digital together”, with growth and sustainability progressing simultaneously.

T. Kishan Singh said paper traders formed an essential link between manufacturers and consumers and urged the government to address the shortage of suitable and affordable warehouse space.

India has an annual paper production capacity of around 25 million tonnes, with the industry growing at about 5.8–6% annually. FPTA said the sector had considerable scope for growth through education, publishing, printing, packaging, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, e-commerce and manufacturing.

Established in 1950, FPTA has 35 affiliated associations and represents more than 10,000 traders across India. The conference will discuss industry challenges, policy issues, sustainability and opportunities for future growth.