New Delhi: The cost of paper has risen 30 percent in the last 18 months, forcing a rise in the prices of textbooks, bought by about 50 million students in schools and colleges, says the Federation of Educational Publishers in India.

Expressing concern about the rise in prices - which is affecting students all over India - federation vice president Saurabh Gupta pointed out here on Friday: "The cost of paper is 80-90 percent of the total cost of production of any book.

"Now, on top of the rise in paper prices, all educational books are being charged four percent value added tax. Paper manufacturers have not passed on to consumers the excise reduction given in this year's budget."

Gupta pointed out that for every 10 percent increase in paper price, the retail price of a book increases by at least 20 percent, given the way discounts to wholesalers and retailers are structured.

The federation has approached the finance and human resource development ministries with repeated pleas to check the paper price rise, but to no avail, Gupta said. IANS