Published: 01:59 AM, 05 March 2020
Present scenario of cotton production in Bangladesh
Introduction
Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is one of the major textile fibre in the world and playing a key role in economic and social welfare. It is grown primarily as a fibre crop, but after the lint, the long twisted unicellular hairs are removed by ginning, the seed can be crushed to extract vegetable oil and protein rich animal food. Cotton is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of more than seventy countries of the world, which represents 2.5% of the all cultivated land. But among these the major producers of cotton are China, India, USA, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Australia, Greece, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey.
Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is one of the major textile fibre in the world and playing a key role in economic and social welfare. It is grown primarily as a fibre crop, but after the lint, the long twisted unicellular hairs are removed by ginning, the seed can be crushed to extract vegetable oil and protein rich animal food. Cotton is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions of more than seventy countries of the world, which represents 2.5% of the all cultivated land. But among these the major producers of cotton are China, India, USA, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Argentina, Australia, Greece, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey.
Bangladesh has a glorious history of cotton production for making the finest fabrics 'Muslin' by the local spinners. The weather and soil condition are favourable for cotton production in the country. Cotton (Gossypium sp.) is the second important cash crops in Bangladesh after Jute.
It is the main raw materials of Textile industry. Annual requirement of raw cotton for textile industry of Bangladesh is estimated at 8.3 million bales. Around 2-3% of the national requirement is fulfilled through the local production (nearly 0.17 million bales) from 44 thousand hectares of land, remaining 97% requirement is fulfilled by importing raw cotton from India, USA, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and from African countries.
Presently, cotton has been producing in the 39 districts and there is a scope to expand cotton cultivation in other areas like-saline and drought prone areas, Hilly areas, char land areas in the country. This production potential can be raised up to 5.0 lakh bale by expanding cotton cultivation in the saline and drought prone areas, hilly areas, char land areas through implementing research, extension services, and training. After the introduction, cotton cultivation was not increased to its expected peak due to the lack of facilities and modern technologies.
Cotton Development Board was established in 1972 to boost up cotton production in the country. Commercial cultivation was started from 1976-77 with medium staple length upland cotton varieties. The cotton research division of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) has been transferred to Cotton Development Board in 1991. The present activities of Cotton Development Board is to conduct cotton research, extension, training, seed production & distribution, marketing & ginning and provide small scale credit facilities to cotton farmers.
There are two alternatives for increasing cotton production in the country. These are-
a) Increasing area under cotton cultivation (horizontal expansion) and
b) Increasing yield per unit area (vertical expansion) of cotton.
It is possible to increase the area under cotton cultivation by adopting profitable cotton based cropping pattern, replacing tobacco cultivation, bringing areas of river bank and char land, drought and saline prone areas, hill slopes and valley areas, agro-forestry system and other cropping systems. Another practical option is to increase cotton production by increasing per hectare yield through high yielding modern varieties, hybrids, transgenic cotton and improved management practices. Besides, quality seeds are the prerequisites for better yield. Intervention of modern production technologies the present yield potential of cotton has to be increased up to the world average.
Hybrid cotton production in Bangladesh
There are two alternatives for increasing cotton production in the country. These are-
a) Increasing area under cotton cultivation (horizontal expansion) and
b) Increasing yield per unit area (vertical expansion) of cotton.
It is possible to increase the area under cotton cultivation by adopting profitable cotton based cropping pattern, replacing tobacco cultivation, bringing areas of river bank and char land, drought and saline prone areas, hill slopes and valley areas, agro-forestry system and other cropping systems. Another practical option is to increase cotton production by increasing per hectare yield through high yielding modern varieties, hybrids, transgenic cotton and improved management practices. Besides, quality seeds are the prerequisites for better yield. Intervention of modern production technologies the present yield potential of cotton has to be increased up to the world average.
Hybrid cotton production in Bangladesh
As we know our land is highly competitive and cotton is a long duration crop, it requires six months to grow from sowing to picking. Within this time our farmers can grow two crops from the same land through he can earn more income from the same land. High and medium high land is suitable for cotton production where many high value crops can grow. Last couple of years, Cotton Development Board (CDB) has introduced Chinese hybrid with the help of two private seed companies like Supreme Seed Company and Lal teer Seed Company. The average production of hybrid is 3.5 to 4.0 tons ha-1 of seed cotton in the farmer's level.
If we can increase our cotton production through the introduction hybrid cotton, it will provide more fibre, edible oil, animal /fish feed of organic matter and fuel/pulp, particle board which will contribute in the economy of our rural people. CDB is planning to develop own hybrid instead of imported hybrid seed by the private company. As hybrid seed imported by the company is high price which is difficult to afford by the farmers. Recently a hybrid variety has been introduced by our own researcher. Government is trying to strengthen cotton research.
Role of cotton in food security
Food security is a prime need for highly populated country like Bangladesh. Increased purchasing power and access to food of the people is one of the important issues for food security It creates Textile and Clothing industries constitute the largest manufacturing sub-sector in the economy of most of countries including Bangladesh. It employs millions of men and women of most of the countries of the world and increased their income to buy food. If the farmers could earn more money through cotton production, easily he could buy his necessary food. Cotton can contribute in the food security Bangladesh
Role of cotton in national economy
Cotton plays a key role in the national economy in terms of generation of direct and indirect employment in the Agricultural and Industrial sectors. It creates Textile and Clothing industries constitute the largest manufacturing sub-sector in Bangladesh's economy. It employs over four million people of whom 80% are women which is account for 13% of the national GDP with 40% of manufacturing value addition. 75% of total export earning comes from Textile Sector. Bangladesh ranks the 2nd largest apparel producer in the world after China. Bangladesh is also the 2nd raw cotton importer of the world. Cotton has huge prospect in our county.
Role of cotton in food security
Food security is a prime need for highly populated country like Bangladesh. Increased purchasing power and access to food of the people is one of the important issues for food security It creates Textile and Clothing industries constitute the largest manufacturing sub-sector in the economy of most of countries including Bangladesh. It employs millions of men and women of most of the countries of the world and increased their income to buy food. If the farmers could earn more money through cotton production, easily he could buy his necessary food. Cotton can contribute in the food security Bangladesh
Role of cotton in national economy
Cotton plays a key role in the national economy in terms of generation of direct and indirect employment in the Agricultural and Industrial sectors. It creates Textile and Clothing industries constitute the largest manufacturing sub-sector in Bangladesh's economy. It employs over four million people of whom 80% are women which is account for 13% of the national GDP with 40% of manufacturing value addition. 75% of total export earning comes from Textile Sector. Bangladesh ranks the 2nd largest apparel producer in the world after China. Bangladesh is also the 2nd raw cotton importer of the world. Cotton has huge prospect in our county.
Role of cotton in employment generation
Our textile sector through spinning and RMG has been creating employment generation of 5 million people where 80% are women. So cotton as well as Textile sector can also contribute in employment generation. In addition, through marketing and ginning of cotton can also create employment opportunity in the rural area. Rural based ginning facilities and cotton oil processing (oil extraction) plants is promoting rural industries and creates employment opportunity. This will have very significant social and economic impact both at the farmer level, regional level as well as macro level.
Cotton seed is a good source of edible oil
Cotton seed is a good source of edible oil
Sixty percent of the harvested seed cotton is seed through which we can get huge quantity of seed. Private ginneries produce cotton crude oil. Some of them are used in soap industries and rest of the crude oil is refined by refinery industry for edible purpose. The speller machine used by the private ginneries for oil extraction which can extract 10 to 18% crude oil from cotton seeds. Cotton oil refinery industry can produce 78 to 80 kg refined oil from 100 kg crude oil. Pakistan, 68% of the edible oil requirement is fulfilled from cotton seed.
India is also one of the big countries of cotton seed oil producer. This oil contains more nutritional value than any other edible oils like soybean, mustard oil and sunflower oil. Like Pakistan, China and India is also good cotton oil producer in the world. The oil cake is generally used for livestock feeding. Cotton oil cake has high demand in the market for multiple uses.
Cotton oil cake is a source of animal /fish feed/ organic matter
The cotton oil cake is a by product of cotton seed and it is produced during oil extraction. The oil cake is generally used for livestock feeding and fish feed. Cotton oil cake has high demand in the market for multiple uses with high percentage of protein. Cotton oil cake is also used as organic fertilizer like mustard oil cakes even it is better than mustard oil cake.
Cotton stalk (after harvest) is a source of fuel /pulp/particle board
Man height cotton plant is a good source of fuel which is scarce in most of the developing countries. One hectare of land can provide 3000-4000 kg fuel wood through which farmers' can earn extra income. India has been producing eco-friendly particle board by the cotton stalk. Latestly BJMC is going to install a machine with the technical assistance of China, good quality offset paper will be produced by mixture of cotton stalk and jute plant (50% cotton stalk+50% jute plant) and this is a value addition for cotton.
Improvement of soil fertility
Cotton plants have tap root system. It takes nutrients from the deeper part of soil. The leaves of cotton plant fallen in the soil and increase the soil fertility.
Bt Cotton
With the introduction of Biotech cotton (Bt hybrid) can produce double production from the same area of land as well as resistant to bollworms and other chewing insects which can save production cost and can increase the net income of the farmer. If we can increase our cotton production through the introduction hybrid cotton, it will provide more fibre, edible oil, animal /fish feed of organic matter and fuel/pulp, particle board which will contribute in the economy of our rural people.
Conclusion
For profitable and commercial cotton production and processing, hybrid as well as high yielding and short duration varieties and good quality seeds are urgent need. Need to introduce Bt cotton to increase per unit yield, and develop own hybrid to sustain cotton in our country as profitable crop. As CDB became the member of NARS, so by the strengthening cotton research CDB ensures high yielding variety and quality seed to the farmers.
Cotton oil cake is a source of animal /fish feed/ organic matter
The cotton oil cake is a by product of cotton seed and it is produced during oil extraction. The oil cake is generally used for livestock feeding and fish feed. Cotton oil cake has high demand in the market for multiple uses with high percentage of protein. Cotton oil cake is also used as organic fertilizer like mustard oil cakes even it is better than mustard oil cake.
Cotton stalk (after harvest) is a source of fuel /pulp/particle board
Man height cotton plant is a good source of fuel which is scarce in most of the developing countries. One hectare of land can provide 3000-4000 kg fuel wood through which farmers' can earn extra income. India has been producing eco-friendly particle board by the cotton stalk. Latestly BJMC is going to install a machine with the technical assistance of China, good quality offset paper will be produced by mixture of cotton stalk and jute plant (50% cotton stalk+50% jute plant) and this is a value addition for cotton.
Improvement of soil fertility
Cotton plants have tap root system. It takes nutrients from the deeper part of soil. The leaves of cotton plant fallen in the soil and increase the soil fertility.
Bt Cotton
With the introduction of Biotech cotton (Bt hybrid) can produce double production from the same area of land as well as resistant to bollworms and other chewing insects which can save production cost and can increase the net income of the farmer. If we can increase our cotton production through the introduction hybrid cotton, it will provide more fibre, edible oil, animal /fish feed of organic matter and fuel/pulp, particle board which will contribute in the economy of our rural people.
Conclusion
For profitable and commercial cotton production and processing, hybrid as well as high yielding and short duration varieties and good quality seeds are urgent need. Need to introduce Bt cotton to increase per unit yield, and develop own hybrid to sustain cotton in our country as profitable crop. As CDB became the member of NARS, so by the strengthening cotton research CDB ensures high yielding variety and quality seed to the farmers.
To develop own hybrid the research facilities within CDB has to strengthen and build a close relation with other NARS institutions and other research organizations inside and outside the country. Also need to be more international collaboration with leading cotton growing countries and cotton research institutions for developing hybrid and Bt varieties.
Dr Md Gazi Golam Mortuza is Project Director , Expansion of Cotton Cultivation Project ,
Cotton Development Board. Khamarbari, Dhaka
Dr Md Gazi Golam Mortuza is Project Director , Expansion of Cotton Cultivation Project ,
Cotton Development Board. Khamarbari, Dhaka
-Dr Md Gazi Golam Mortuza
