Paperboards and Packaging

The Paperboards, Specialty Paper and Packaging segment recorded strong growth during the year both in terms of sales and operating profits. The year marked significant growth in the Paperboards segment on the back of enhanced capacity utilisation at the Kovai unit and the addition of Paper Machine V (capacity 75,000 TPA) at the Bhadrachalam mill. In fulfilment of its commitment to a cleaner environment, the Company's Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) pulp mill, the only one of its kind in the country, continues to meet world-class environmental standards. The superior quality of the ECF pulp has enabled expansion of the market for value-added paperboards.

The Packaging and Printing business leveraged its recent investments in technology upgradation to expand its range of offerings to include a wider variety of contemporary packaging formats. During the year, the business entered the high growth flexible packaging business with the induction of world-class equipment.

Agri Business

In the Agri Business segment, ITC is engaged in innovatively leveraging digital technology to transform the rural sector, and strengthening its position in domestic and global markets as a leading supplier of high quality, identity-preserved agri commodities. This digital infrastructure, known as e-Choupal, constitutes the basis for the Company's deeper engagement with the rural economy through the progressive development of low cost, broadband fulfilment capability for two-way flow of goods and services. This pioneering initiative comprising nearly 6,000 choupals, currently reaches out to over 3.5 million farmers in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

The Company's investments in creating rural infrastructure to support this two-way flow of goods and services is being strengthened through the creation of rural hubs, christened 'Choupal Saagar'. 10 Choupal Saagars are operational in the 3 states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh while 9 more are in an advanced stage of construction. These Choupal Saagars, in synergistic combination with the e-Choupal network, would serve as the core infrastructure to support ITC's rural distribution strategy.