Southeast Asian paper manufacturers eye sustainable development

At the conference, FAPPI members provided information about the development of the paper industry in each country and shared the trends in production and consumption and recommendations for the industry.

According to the Vietnam Pulp and Paper Association, the total paper output of Vietnam in 2019 is projected at over 5 million tonnes, 85% of which is being used for packaging.

Vietnam’s paper industry has seen strong growth during the 2016-2019 period, with paper and cardboard production capacity growing by 31% annually, output of paper and cardboard by 25.7% annually and consumption by 12.3%. Exports also grew by 65.1% per year.

On the other hand, domestic pulp production capacity only increased by 1.9% a year, meeting only 35% of domestic demand. It is projected that the demand for paper will increase by 8-10% per year over the next 5-10 years, with demand for cardboard expected to grow by 15-18%.

The conference was also an opportunity for FAPPI members to review the state of the pulp and paper industry and to seek solutions to the problems facing the countries in the building of a circular economy and sustainable development.