Punjab Printing Industry on Verge of Collapse as OPA Announces Immediate Price Hike
March 25, 2026
ETT News / Ludhiana
The Offset Printers Association (OPA) unanimously resolved to increase the prices of printing and packaging services across Punjab and neighboring states today, citing an unsustainable 30% to 40% surge in raw material costs. Representing hundreds of MSME units, the association declared that the industry has reached a breaking point where operating at old rates now results in direct financial loss. This collective decision aims to safeguard the livelihoods of lakhs of workers and ensure the survival of a sector that serves as the backbone for India’s FMCG, pharma, and education industries.
The crisis stems from a relentless escalation in input costs that has intensified over the last several months. Industry data reveals that finished paper prices jumped by ₹2–6 per kg in recent weeks, while essential packaging materials like kraft paper and duplex board saw a 10% increase. These hikes follow a volatile period where hardwood pulp prices already climbed 25% during the previous fiscal year, compounded further by fresh increases of up to ₹3,000 per metric tonne announced by major mills in January 2026.
Global instability and logistical hurdles have further fueled the local crisis. OPA leadership pointed to geopolitical tensions in West Asia and the skyrocketing costs of imported wastepaper, coal, chemicals, and energy as the primary drivers behind the raw material spike. While printers had absorbed these shocks for nearly 18 months to protect their clients, the association stated that the cumulative burden has finally made the previous price structure impossible to maintain.
Parveen Aggarwal, President of OPA, emphasized that the price revision is a matter of basic survival rather than a pursuit of higher profits. He noted that without this adjustment, thousands of small-scale units face the threat of permanent closure. The association has now issued a firm directive to all members to accept new orders only at the revised rates and to refrain from undertaking any work for clients unwilling to acknowledge the justified cost increase.
Senior Vice President Kushl Kumar Jain and General Secretary Prof. Kamal Mohan Chopra echoed this sentiment, calling for total unity among printing and packaging entrepreneurs. They urged members to exercise collective wisdom and remain firm in their pricing to secure the industry’s future. The OPA also appealed to corporate brands, publishers, and the general public to understand the genuine difficulties faced by the sector, noting that a marginal increase in service prices is the only way to maintain high standards of quality and timely delivery.
OPA Offset Printers Association Punjab Printing Industry Printing Rate Hike Packaging Price Increase Raw Material Costs Paper Price Hike Kraft Paper Rates
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