We even import waste paper with inadequate inspection.

The waste paper crisis experienced by the publishing industry is increasing. While paper companies do not buy paper to recycle because there is no demand, industrialists fill warehouses with imported paper. While paper costs, which are the largest expense in the publishing industry, place a burden on companies, the lack of use of waste paper causes losses to double. Publishers, who have become dependent on imports following the privatization of the Turkish Pulp and Paper Company (SEKA), are burdened by additional costs due to skyrocketing foreign exchange. The fact that profits returned by merchants cannot be valued as waste paper, on the one hand, increases costs for publishers and, on the other hand, means that limited foreign currency resources are wasted.

IMPORTED BOTH PAPER AND SCRAP

One of the indicators of the wrong policies implemented in Turkey is evident in the waste paper crisis. While the media imports paper, waste paper manufacturers resort to importing, ignoring the country’s stocks, claiming that it is “cheaper.”

THE QUOTE AUDIT IS ESSENTIAL

The Ministry of Commerce’s swift intervention and tightening of controls to implement the ’50 per cent domestic, 50 per cent imported’ requirement in the sector will help publishers breathe. Because then suppliers will not be able to reject thousands of tons of paper accumulated in warehouses claiming “no demand.” Industrialists who comply with the quota will not choose to import paper that they can easily obtain within the country. The editors point out that it will be very valuable in solving the problem if the ministry intervenes and tightens controls.

Costs are increasing

Organizations that have been trying to publish with small profit margins for many years, sometimes even risking losses because no healthy solution has been found, are forced to bear the increasing costs of this process. Since we have no internal resources, media outlets are forced to import paper and also have to bear the additional burden caused by the resulting waste paper that is not used in the domestic market.

National products are punished

Although newspaper warehouses are full of waste paper, suppliers say “there is no demand, we can’t buy it.” Because industrialists can relax the Ministry of Commerce’s requirement to use 50 percent domestic products as they wish due to insufficient inspections. The fact that European Union (EU) countries encourage exports of waste paper only aggravates the problem. While EU countries promote waste paper exports and increase the competitiveness of their own products on the market, Turkey
It literally punishes companies. Therefore, our limited foreign exchange resources are wasted.

How to solve the waste paper problem

one-The Ministry of Commerce should intervene and ensure that the 50 per cent domestic and 50 per cent imported requirement is implemented in the sector.

2-Arrangements should be made to collect waste paper from its source to help struggling media organizations breathe.

3-For Turkey to protect its own resources, a new program should be launched, taking into account the incentives implemented by the European Union countries.

4- Some companies should not be allowed to play a monopoly role in the waste paper market. It is necessary to prepare the ground for competitiveness in the market.