High costs choke box makers

THE price of corrugated packaging boxes is to increase due to high costs of production, Andrews Ruben, the chairman of the Uganda Corrugated Carton Manufacturers Association, has said.

By Kiganda Ssonko

THE price of corrugated packaging boxes is to increase due to high costs of production, Andrews Ruben, the chairman of the Uganda Corrugated Carton Manufacturers Association, has said.

He said costs of transportation, lubricants, fuels, and raw materials like papers had increased drastically.
“We are concerned about the rapid and continuous increase in prices of raw materials in our industry especially papers, which are imported from Kenya, South Africa, Indonesia and Europe.

Prices for papers from Kenya have increased by 25% since November last year,” Ruben, who is also the managing director of Makss Packaging Industries, told reporters.

He said the prices would continue to rise as long as the causes are not addressed.

Ruben said papers imported from outside Africa are cheaper, but the high transport costs from Mombasa make them expensive.