Currently, over 10 million tonnes of plastics are produced, a majority of which is used by the packaging and pipe industries.

 

Over the last three months, prices rose due to rupee fluctuation and increase in crude oil prices.

 

“We feel prices will remain at this (current) level for the next few months,” said Raju Desai, President, AIPMA, which represents over 50,000 manufacturers.

 

Production is set to increase signifciantly with the sanction of five plastics parks in India, including two in Gujarat and one each in UP and Madhya Pradesh.

 

In Andhra Pradesh (AP) too, the per capita consumption of plastics is likely to more than double in next five years and hence the industry felt if was critical to operationalize the proposal of a plastics park.

 

Overall, consumption of plastic in India was set to double from the current levels in the next five to six years, with India's per capita consumption being 8.5 kg, as against the world average of 24 kgs.

 

AP currently has more than 7,000 plastic manufacturers, of which about 5,000 units are based in Hyderabad. "Consumption of plastics is growing rapidly and it is critical that the industry keeps itself abreast with the latest in technology and processes,” Desai, who is also the chairman of Plastivision India 2013, a trade fair to be held between December 12 and 16 in Mumbai.