Hyderabad: The Indian packaging industry, which constitutes about 4 per cent of the global packaging industry, has been growing at an annual rate of 13 per cent and is expected to touch $32 billion by 2020. Global packaging market is estimated at $771 billion expected to go up to $925 billion by 2020.
The per capita packaging consumption in India is quite low at 8.7 kg, compared to countries such as Germany and Taiwan where it is 42 kg and 19 kg, respectively. However, organised retail and boom in e-commerce, which offer huge potential for future growth of retailing, is giving a boost to the packaging sector.
Dr N C Saha, director, Indian Institute of Packaging (IP), said, “India is making efforts to bring in right form of regulations to make use of packaging in pharmaceuticals and food products safe. While innovation is happening, safety is gaining prominence. Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) has appointed IIP to study the presence of external material and heavy metals in processed food. The study which has been concluded based on the 1,250 samples collected from food processors from across the country, has given crucial insights that had been incorporated in the Packaging Draft Policy that is now seeking stakeholder comments and feedback. The Packaging Act is awaiting Parliament nod.”
He further added, “Our Mumbai lab which has advanced equipment tested the residues and leakage of eight heavy metals into the processed food samples we collected. We have gathered useful information from this study and this effort will pave way to improve safety of food products from the packaging perspective. At the end of the study, we have also recommended to the government that the material suppliers should clearly mention that the material is being used in the food products versus non-food.”
India has 22,000 packaging units that operate in the area of glass, plastic, paper, metal and corrugated packaging, and 85 per cent of which are SMEs. These packaging companies further focus on four different categories-raw materials, converting industry, machinery and ancillary. Packaging growth is directly linked to GDP growth.
Packaging industry has been a significant job creator and today employs 50 lakh jobs both direct and indirect in India. An investment of Rs 10 crore in the sector can generate 150 to 200 fresh jobs, informed Vagish Dixit, chairman of IIP, Hyderabad.
IIP expansion
Dr Saha informed that IIP will approach Telangana Government to allocate five acres of land to construct its own building, class rooms and hostel. The current facility at Sanathnagar doesn’t have adequate space. New campus will enable Hyderabad centre to increase intake for PG Diploma from current level of 35 to 100. IIP plans to submit a memorandum to the State government very soon seeking the land. The institute is adding new centres at Bengaluru, Guwahati, Kakinada and Ahmedabad.
Packaging conference
Hyderabad is hosting a two-day National Conference on Packaging for the New Millennium organized by Indian Institute of Packaging with the support from World Packaging Organization and The Asian Packaging Federation, starting Friday. The conference is focusing on packaging in the new digital marketing and distribution age; technological evolution in packaging and allied areas including materials, equipment, processes and application; rapidly evolving role of packaging in promoting sustainable and responsible approaches of packaging and distribution.
The conference provides a platform for packaging professionals to share their knowledge and information on trends and advances in technologies. More than 250 participants representing exporters, manufacturers of various products such as pharmaceuticals, food products, pesticides, peroxides, insecticides, logistics segment are taking part in the meet.
