Cotton growers face setback

Farmers with their cotton waiting for buyers at a market in Chuadanga.The photo was taken on Thursday. PHOTO: STAR

"We are selling cotton at Tk 800 to Tk 1000 per maund this year against Tk 1400 to Tk 1500 last year", said Mustak Hossain of Dhankhola village in Gangni upazial in Meherpur district. There are about 900 cotton cultivators in Gangni, registered with the Cotton Development Board (CDB).

This correspondent also visited some cotton growing areas including Betbaria, Kazipur, Garadoba, Bhatpara in Meherpur, Chuadanga and Jhenidah districts and talked to farmers. They also said they have to sell cotton at prices much below that in last year.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Kushtia, Jessore, Magura and Rajbari districts, divided into four zones by the CDB, account for about 70 per cent of cotton grown in the country.

The cotton produced in plain lands is commonly called American Variety, which is used by spinning mills in the country. Another variety, known as Comilla Variety, is grown in small quantities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

Cotton is grown on flood free high lands. Bangladesh's soil and climate are suitable for the crop, CDB sources and farmers said.

They said the yield was good this year though floods affected a considerable part of the cotton growing area last year.

According to sources in CDB, 36,000 hectares of land were brought under cotton cultivation in the four zones this year with a production target of 84000 bales. There are 9,000 hectares in each zone. Last year's flood damaged the crop on about 7207 hectares, they said.

Cotton cultivation became popular in the areas in the last several years following steps by the CDB. The crop is sown in October-November and harvested in February-March.

According to farmers, production cost per bigha is about Tk 2000. Five to eight maunds are produced per bigha. Last year, farmers got good profits by selling their products at Tk 14,00-1500 per maund. Many of the farmers said they will incur loss this year.

The CDB sources said domestic price has fallen due to a slump in the world market from 80 cents a pound last year to 50 cents this year.

They said the government did not take any initiative to develop the sector through it has a good prospect in the country.

When contacted, CDB Zonal Officer Abdur Rakib said farmers have no technology for grading the cotton they produce though the quality is comparable to those produced in traditionally cotton-growing countries.

He said CDB has trained farmers in groups to encourage them.

Bangladesh needs 15 lakh bales of cotton for the spinning mills. Around 80,000 bales of American Variety of cotton are produced in the country, which is utilised by the spinning mills.

Another 6000 to 7000 bales of Comilla variety are produced in the CHT, of which 1000 to 1500 bales are exported, CDB sources said.

Last year, 76,125 bales of American Variety were produced from 34,500 hectares. This year, the crop was grown on 36,000 hectares and the target will exceed as the yield was good, they said.

But the farmers are deprived of the fair price because they have to sell their product to traders as no spinning mill purchases cotton from farmers.

Golam Rasul, Senior Marketing Officer of CDB, when contacted, said the farmers are deprived because they can not grade their produce.