The world cotton day 2020

Dr. Md. Tasdiqur Rahman

Cotton is an international industrial crops, it’s a gentle man crops also known as white gold related with agriculture, industry, history, heritage, civilization, economy and one of the basic needs of human beings. We need cotton from born to death, without food we can survive several days but without cloth it’s not possible to lead a social life for a single moment. Cotton is the most important plant fiber to make textile products. Cotton is cultivated by 75 countries around the globe and our position is 40th, four main types of cotton growing commonly, which are Gossypium hirsutum, Gossypium barbadense, Gossypium Arboretum and Gossypium herbaceum. Global production of Cotton is largely dominated by India, China, the USA, Pakistan, and Brazil. 

FIGURE: World Cotton Production / Source: FAO/OECD

Cotton is produced all over the world and one single tone of cotton provides almost one year-round employment for five people on average. Cotton crop is perfectly suited for regions with an arid. Overall, cotton occupies just 2.1 percent of the world’s arable land and yet meets 27 percent need of the world’s textile sector. In Bangladesh cotton occupies only 0.52 percent of land in kharif-2 seasons and save more than 400 core taka foreign currency. While cotton fiber is used in textiles and clothing apparel, food products like edible oil are obtained from cotton and its seed is used as animal feed. 

The use of cotton has a long tradition with a history of about 7000 years. Clothes made of cotton are moisture absorbent, have a good drape and are known for their long durability. Products range from highly absorbent bath towels and bed linens to basic clothes such as t-shirts, underwear or socks. Also a broad range of technical textiles are made from this continuously popular fiber today. 

The annual world production of cotton changed from 26.7 million tons in 2017/2018 to 25.6 million tons in 2018/2019, and is currently estimated with 25.9 million tons for the season 2019/2020. Consequently Cotton is accounting for approximately 2.5% of the world’s arable land. For the season 2019/2020 the Top 10 cotton producers are India, China, United States, Brazil, Pakistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Mexico, Australia and Mali. Africa as continent delivers a total of 1.7 Million tons of cotton to its customers, Top 5 importing countries are China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Turkey and Indonesia and top 5 exporting countries are USA, Brazil, Australia, India and Benin.

The first-ever World Cotton Day (WCD) will be hosted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva on October 7, 2019. The international day aims to celebrate the advantages of cotton, ranging from its qualities as a natural fiber to the benefits people obtain from its production, transformation, trade and consumption. World Cotton Day also aims to highlight the challenges faced by the world’s cotton economies, as cotton is significant for the least developed, developing and developed economies worldwide.

The 1st Edition of the World Cotton Day (WCD) was observed on October 7, 2019. It was organized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) as an initiative of the Cotton-4 (C4) countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali) in collaboration with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC

World Cotton Day aims to: • Provide exposure and recognition to cotton and all its stakeholders in production, transformation and trade. • Engage donors, beneficiaries and strengthen development assistance for cotton. • Seek new collaborations with the investors and private sector for the cotton related industries and production in developing countries. • Promote technological advances and further research and development on cotton.

World Cotton Day: 2020

Significance World Cotton Day provides a common platform to the international community and the private sector to share knowledge and showcase cotton related activities and products. World Cotton Day will be celebrated across the world every year. The day will host events that give exposure to the cotton farmers, processors, researchers and businesses.

World Cotton Day Vision: World Cotton Day is a day to celebrate the global importance of cotton! Stakeholders from the global cotton community will come together to educate target audiences on the many advantages of cotton from its qualities as a natural fiber to the many benefits people obtain from its production, transformation, trade and consumption around the World. World Cotton Day is an opportunity to show the positive impact cotton will continue to have in the future and convince the international community to join the celebration!

Objectives of World Cotton Day 2020: • Increase preference and demand for cotton and educate key audiences on the benefits and value of cotton • Generate positive media coverage for cotton around the world • Gain endorsements from government representatives of important cotton countries • Engage WTO and UN and have World Cotton Day added to official UN calendar • Recruit brands and retailers to promote cotton in their stores or on their websites • Be self-funding • Create events in multiple countries around the world celebrating World Cotton Day.

Cotton Development Board Wish to celebrate “World Cotton Day 2020”in officially. We have decided to dedicate this day to our Father of  The Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and will arrange virtual webinar, workshop with national and International cotton experts,  government and non-government officials, NGOS, Cotton producer, Spinner, Retailer and arrange  human chain ,publish magazine, posters etc.

Bangladesh is a developing country; textile industries are playing a vital role in the national economy, especially in export sector to earn foreign currencies. Bangladesh is the world's second biggest exporter of clothing after China. The garments manufacturing sector earned $34.13 billion in the fiscal year 2018-19 and export earning plummets by 18.45 percent in FY 2019-2020 due to corona. 

According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), orders for over 900 million pieces of garments worth $2.9 billion had already been cancelled or were being held up. The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), another prominent body of the country’s clothing industry, has claimed that more than $3 billion has already been lost as most of the orders until July has either been cancelled or suspended.

According to the Bangladesh Export Promotion Bureau, March 2020 apparel exports declined by over 19 percent compared to February, 2020.  Bangladesh Garment Manufacturing and Exporter Association (BGMEA) estimated the RMG export revenue to be a mere $366.5 million USD in April 2020, or approximately 84 percent lower than the same period last year. The textile industry was greatly impacted by some international retailers cancelling and suspending orders as a result of COVID-19.  

USDA quoted BGMEA to state that the estimated cost of cancelled orders was $3.17 billion USD thus far and the cancelled orders impacted local producers’ ability to pay 2.3 million workers and has resulted in an increase in stocks of yarn and fabric. According to industry reports, stocks of locally spun yarn reached nearly $100 million USD in September 2019 (i.e., pre-Covid-19).

USDA report says, in 2020-21 MY raw cotton consumption is expected to rebound to 7.2 million bales, assuming that demand for garments will start to return to pre-Covid-19 levels. Raw cotton consumption levels in current marketing year are estimated lower at 6.9 million bales due to reduced RMG consumption in the world market as an impact of Covid-19.

The Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established the Cotton Development Board in 1972 for the expansion and improvement of cotton cultivation in the country after liberation war. Before that total raw cotton was imported from West Pakistan. In 1973 Father of the Nation backed 325 farmers from Pakistan and settled then in Ranisankail, Takurgaon with 796 acres of land for cotton cultivation. After 15 August 1975 this program was closed and those land was redistributed to others as a result cotton production remain closed. After 21 years later His daughter Honorable Prime Minister came to power and again strengthen cotton production activities .The Honorable Prime Minister already have given two big project Tk.217.05 core and a Cotton Building  in Capital which is under construction. Dr. Md. Abdur Razzak MP, Hon'ble Minister, Ministry of Agriculture unveiled the foundation stone of the Cotton Development Board's own building "Tula Bhaban" on 19-09-2020 Saturday at 10.00 am as the chief guest at the unveiling ceremony which was situated at Khamarbari Sarak, Farmgate, Dhaka. Honorable Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture was present as special guest and Dr. Md. Farid Uddin, Executive Director, Cotton Development Board presided the ceremony. The building will be constructed under Expansion of Cotton Cultivation Project (Phase-1), Cotton Development Board, Ministry of Agriculture. The project will be implemented by Resource Division, Dhaka of Public Works Department (PWD).

Textiles play a vital role in the national economy. It is regarded as the lifeline of Bangladeshi economy. But it did not occupy this place overnight. The textile industry of Bengal is very old. At that time, cloths were made by hand operated weaving machines. With the growth of the Eastern civilization, demand for finer yarns led to a search and cultivation for long staple cotton fibers. “Muslin” is the heritage of textile industry of Bangladesh which is the sample of fine fiber (Fashion Apparel, 2019). 

From 1947 to 1971 most of the textile industries in East Pakistan were owned by West Pakistanis. Until the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, the textile sector was primarily part of the process of import substitution industries. After the liberation, Bangladesh adopted export-oriented industrialization (EOI) by focusing on the textile and clothing industry, particularly the RMG (Readymade Garment) sector. The apparel industry of Bangladesh started its journey in the early eighties with the first factory "Desh Garments”. Now there are almost 4,621 garments factories in Bangladesh exporting apparel products around the globe (BGMEA, 2019).

During the last fiscal year, the textile sector contributed 11.16% to the GDP. According to BGMEA (2019) in 2018-19 fiscal year, RMG sector has contributed 84.21%, or $34.13 billion to the total export receipts; knitwear products fetched $16.88 billion, which is 11.19% higher than last fiscal year and woven items earned $17.24 billion, registering an 11.79% growth.

Majority of the RMGs are exported to the countries under European Union (61.91%) followed by USA (17.97%), Canada (3.45%) and other countries (16.66%). During the last fiscal year textile sector contributed 11.16% to the GDP of Bangladesh (BTMA, 2019). The textile sector is contributing to GDP not only by earning foreign currency but also by creating employment opportunities. Around 4.4 million people are directly involved in textile industries (Amin, 2018). 

Cotton production is noticeably increasing in the country during the last ten fiscal years. In 2009-10, the cotton lint production was 70,000 bales; now in the 2019-20 the production reached 177887 bales. Improvement in the cotton production during the last decades is showing in the.

The cotton extension wing is providing service by CDB (HQ), four Regional Offices, Thirteen Zonal Offices, 195 Unit offices. On the other hand, the cotton research wing is working through 5 (five) research centres. CDB has showed promising successes from the establishment. Both extension and research wings are working simultaneously for improving cotton cultivation and quality improvement of fiber. Some of the successes of CDB are: Cotton lint production increased up to 150% in last ten years; farmers are becoming interested to cultivate cotton; 20 varieties (19 HYVs and 1 Hybrid variety); 29 cotton cultivation technologies.

From the very beginning, the textile industry is facing lots of challenges. Many of those challenges have been overcome. But still there are some challenges for textile sector. Some of them are-  Corona virus, Climatic impact, lack to proper monitoring, demand supply gap of raw cotton, subsidy removal from textile sector - GSP cancelled by USA and lack of skilled man power Though the production of cotton has increased at a noticeable rate, still there is a huge shortage compared to its demand. Cotton production in Bangladesh is frequently facing some problems such as-Lack of positive attitude of planners, long duration, competitive land, competitive with other high value crops, climate change, especially erratic rainfall, price volatility and insect pest. To overcome the above challenges Bangladesh government has taken necessary steps such as strengthening the Cotton Development Board, increasing infrastructure development, creating an environment-friendly textile sector, ensuring wages in time for garments employees etc. Besides this, CDB will need expansion of cotton growing areas, reorganizing CDB, Positive attitude of planners, provide price subsidy to cotton farmers, provide government loan as a special crops.

The writer is a Deputy Director of Cotton Development Board and General Secretary of KIB, Dhaka Metropolitan.