Eastern India Corrugated Box Manufactures’ Association (EICMA) has decided to go for a voluntary shutdown of their units from 11 March to 13 March to protest against the rise in prices of raw materials, which include kraft paper and board, by 60 to 65 per cent within four months.
Other expenses, including steel stitching wire, starch, labour energy and transportation costs, have also gone up by 40-50 per cent, creating a difficult situation for the industry.
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The strike will be observed in the eastern zone, including states like Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam, it said. Mohit Bajaj, president of EICMA, said that they are the backbone of any industry as regards logistics and if they stop producing, every industry will suffer, including food products and medicines.
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“We worked hard during the pandemic, didn’t charge any extra money for our work, and now nobody is supporting us. We are financially suffering and cannot continue like this,” he said.
The association has also sought the intervention of the government to ease availability of kraft paper and monitor export of kraft paper so that domestic requirements are met.
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