Pakistani merchants are interested in importing Indian paper products and a delegation recently visited New Delhi in this regard, a paper merchant said Thursday.

The Pakistani paper industry wants to import Indian paper because of twin benefits of better quality and cost-effectiveness and held talks with the Indian paper industry association.

Madhukar Mishra, President of Indian Paper Manufacturers Association and MD of Star Paper, said, "It would take a few months before the actual exports from India to Pakistan start. Various paper manufacturers would discuss the issues of exports with their Pakistan counterparts."

After returning home the Pakistani merchants would ask their government to remove paper from the negative list of trade.

Khamis Saeed Butt, president, All Pakistan Paper Merchants Association (APPMA) and deputy leader of the delegation reportedly told his Indian counterparts, "We will ask the Pakistan government to remove paper from the negative list so that we can import it from India, which would also help us access quality paper at lower cost."

At present, Pakistan's consumes one million tonnes of paper annually, almost half of which are imported from Thailand, Indonesia, Norway and Sweden. Pakistan imports $1.23 million worth of paper and India's share in imports is just 0.6 percent.

Indian paper industry's annual production is 10.11 mt, which includes paper, paper board and newsprint.

The leading Indian industry brands are ITC, JK, Orient and Star and the annual turnover of Indian industry is estimated at 350 billion rupees ($6364 million).

Sohail Lashari, leader of the Pakistani delegation had said, " We see a huge potential for paper and paper products imports from India and it would help Pakistan-based units expand their operations."

Butt said, "Paper imports from India would lower the prices of textbooks and other paper-related commodities in Pakistan."

From 7.5 kg per capita consumption during 2007-08, India's consumption of paper has gone up to 9.3 kg in the current fiscal. The global average per capita consumption of paper is around 45 a kg. In US, it stands at 312 kg.