Use fallow, low-yielding land to boost cotton production: Minister

Agriculture and Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammed Aminur Rashid has called for expanding cotton cultivation in char, saline-prone, drought-prone and other low-yielding areas without disrupting food production.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a seminar at Cotton Bhaban in Khamarbari, Dhaka, on Wednesday, marking World Cotton Day.

Noting that locally produced cotton is of good quality, the minister said specific areas should be identified and long-term, realistic plans adopted to increase production.

He stressed the need to make maximum use of the country’s limited agricultural land while maintaining food production, increasing diversification and boosting exports. Cotton and other alternative crops can be expanded in areas where conventional food crops are comparatively less productive, he said.

A master plan should be prepared to achieve the target of producing 500,000 bales of cotton by 2030, Aminur said. It should specify the additional land to be brought under cultivation each year, the areas to be targeted and the number of farmers to be involved.

“Food-crop land must not be used for cotton cultivation,” he said, urging priority for char, saline and low-yielding lands. He also called for utilising the potential of turmeric and other profitable crops as companion crops alongside cotton.

The minister said agricultural research and innovation were essential to increasing production on limited land, improving quality and reducing costs. The government is ready to support research projects and investments, provided they ensure effective and profitable production.

Highlighting the potential of naturally coloured cotton, he said it could reduce the need for chemical dyes in textile manufacturing amid growing global demand for environmentally friendly products. He said the government would verify whether such cotton remains at the experimental stage or is already being commercially produced and take necessary initiatives. He also expressed interest in visiting relevant areas to assess the situation firsthand.

Aminur said financing would not be a major obstacle to expanding cotton production, as the Ministry of Agriculture was ready to provide necessary support. However, he stressed that implementation must ensure speed, transparency and accountability.

He urged those involved in cotton production and research to work sincerely to expand the sector.

The seminar was chaired by Mohammad Rezaul Amin, executive director of the Cotton Development Board.

Agriculture Ministry Secretary MdSalim Khan attended as a special guest, while Professor ASM Golam Hafiz, a Bangladesh Agricultural University professor and secretary general of the Bangladesh Agricultural Economists Association, attended as an honoured guest.