Nilphamari Correspondent :
Bangladesh can produce nearly 2.0 million (20 lacs) bales of cotton locally, one third of its import which could make the key exporting sector readymade garments (RMG) more value addable, speakers said it at a press conference Monday .
They said, the expected output is possible through using nearly 6.7 lac hectares of unused land which could remove vulnerability and save more than US$ 3.0 billion of import cost for the biggest export earning sector.
The observation came at a seminar titled “Boosting Cotton Cultivation in North Bengal: Problem and Prospects’, held at Diaz Hotel Seminar Hall, Uttara EPZ, Nilphamari organised jointly by the Cotton Development Board (CDB), Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Zerin Tex, the RMG Chronicle and Nilphamari Chamber of Commerce and Industries (NCCI). The seminar highlighted necessity of raising production of the fiber, which could add more value to the country’s readymade garments sector.
Chief Guest of the seminar Executive Director of CBD Dr Farid Uddin while presenting the key-note paper said cotton production reached 1.20 lac bales recently at 43000 hectares of land in the country against a demand of more than 60 lac bales.
He said the CDB has taken some major initiatives in last five years, which helped increase production almost doubling.
But it is still far behind the gigantic requirement, he said.
He said nearly 20 lac bales could be produced if we can bring at least 7.0 lac hectares unused land under cotton farming.
He said the coastal belt has a nearly 4.5 lakh hectares of unused land for salinity. We can promote cotton there, he said.
His paper said another 60 thousands hectares could be managed in Rangpur division if we could encourage farmers in cotton instead of tobacco. The hilly areas has a potentiality to grow cotton at 1.0 lac hectares, he said.
Another paper was presented by the Financial Express journalist YasirWardad on cotton import which revealed that Bangladesh is now the top cotton importer in the world surpassing the China.
The paper said Bangladesh imports was 61 lac bales in last financial year(15-16) when China imported 43.17 lakh of bales.
The paper said it is not a good news for the RMG sector as more than US $3.0 billion is being spent for the purpose and the sector is becoming vulnerable for such import dependency.
Zerin Tex Chief Executive Officer Md Juber Alam said Bangladesh once self-sufficient in cotton as it produced world best cotton Muslin.
He urged the CDB to search out the local seeds to boost cotton production locally.
NCCI Seniour Vice President Farhanul Hoque said industrialization has paved its way to North-Bengal and the journey is unbreakable.
He said locally produced cotton should be subsidized to encourage farmers.
RMG Chronicle Editor Mohammad Ali while delivering his welcome address said the country’s total export earning is $30 billion of which RMG sector comprises 82 per cent.
He said cotton import eats up a big portion, nearly US $3.0 billion of the country’s foreign currency.
Mitigating cotton import means adding more value to the RMG sector.
ICT expert and Spinoff Studio Managing Director Md Asaduzzaman gave vote of thanks while ADC, Nilphamari Mujibur Rahman was the guest of honour.
Jack Stiekema, Senior Expert on ICT, Netherland, Nilphamari Upazila Vice Chairman Arifa Sultana Lovely, among others spoke as special guests.
