Cultivate Cotton instead of Tobacco

Prof. M Zahidul Haque

Prof. M Zahidul Haque and Tanzila Rahman

Recently, Interim Government Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain while speaking as the chief guest at an event titled “The Importance and Potential of Cotton Cultivation in Bangladesh for Saving Foreign Currency”, held at the Economic Reporters Forum auditorium in Dhaka has announced that cotton will soon be declared an agricultural product.

Tanzila Rahman, UAO, Ramu. Cox's Bazar.

Adviser Touhid Hossain observed that some of the land currently used for tobacco cultivation be allocated for cotton farming He said, “Tobacco cultivation depletes soil fertility. If a portion of this land is used for cotton farming instead, farmers will benefit financially, and the country will also gain economically.”

The Foreign Affairs Adviser asserted that if any decision is beneficial for the country, the government, led by Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, will not hesitate to implement it, even if it goes against certain interest groups. He also assured that necessary policy support would be provided in this regard. He urged the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to urgently withdraw the imposed tax on domestic cotton.

Undoubtedly, replacement of tobacco cultivation by cotton would greatly help the country to get rid of tobacco menace. Not only tobacco farming has detrimental impact on soil health and the environment but Tobacco consumption is a leading cause of severe health conditions. Smoking and chewing tobacco expose users to harmful chemicals, including nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, which contribute to diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular disorders. Passive smoking also affects non-smokers, increasing their risk of respiratory diseases and heart problems. Additionally, tobacco farming exposes workers to toxic pesticides and nicotine poisoning through dermal absorption, leading to conditions such as Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS).

Unfortunately Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of tobacco use globally, significantly impacting public health and the economy. Approximately 35.3% of adults aged 15 and older use tobacco products. According to some statistical reports, tobacco use is responsible for approximately 126,000 deaths annually, accounting for 13.5% of all deaths in Bangladesh. The economic cost of smoking is substantial, amounting to 391.7 billion takas, which includes healthcare expenditures and lost productivity.

Although tobacco is a cash crop, still, its harmful impacts on human health and environment greatly surpasses benefit. Hence, cultivation of tobacco is widely discouraged. Every year the Government imposes new tax and duties on tobacco products including cigarettes. The intensive farming practices associated with tobacco production lead to deforestation, soil degradation, and contamination of ecosystem.

Tobacco cultivation can be replaced with several alternative cash crops that are more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and economically viable. These include, Cotton, Jute, Tea and coffee, Spices, Fruits, Oil seeds, Aromatic and Medicinal plants, Mulberry cultivation for Sericulture, etc.

There is a great scope for cotton cultivation in Bangladesh, because of: 

1. Climate Suitability: Cotton grows well in warm and semi-arid climates, which is similar to many tobacco-growing areas in Bangladesh (e.g., Kushtia, Meherpur, Jashore). The country experiences favorable temperatures (25–35°C) and moderate rainfall, which can support cotton cultivation.

2. Soil Suitability: Sandy loam and clay loam soils, which are common in tobacco-growing areas, are also good for cotton. Cotton requires proper drainage, which can be managed in these regions.

3. Economic and Market Scope: Cotton has high Demand. Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest textile exporter, but it imports over 95% of its raw cotton (mostly from India, the USA, and Africa).

4. Government Support: The Bangladesh government has been encouraging cotton farming to reduce import dependency.

5. Potential for Farmers: Since cotton demand is stable, shifting from tobacco to cotton can ensure steady income without the harmful effects of tobacco farming.

6. Environmental Benefits: Unlike tobacco, cotton cultivation does not deplete soil fertility as quickly. It reduces deforestation and environmental pollution caused by tobacco curing.

The production of Cotton is too low in our country. Bangladesh produces only about 2 lakh (200,000) bales of cotton per year, while the demand is over 90 lakh (9 million) bales. The Bangladesh Cotton Development Board (CDB) is promoting cotton farming, research on high-yield cotton varieties to improve production, incentives and training programs for farmers.

If the observation and suggestion made by Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain could be translated into reality, cotton cultivation would successfully be diffused among the Bangladesh tobacco farmers because Cotton can be a viable alternative to tobacco cultivation in Bangladesh due to its market demand, economic benefits, and environmental sustainability. However, challenges like low yield, limited awareness, and competition with other crops need to be addressed with better seed varieties, irrigation support, and farmer training.

(Prof. M Zahidul Haque is a former Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka. Tanzila Rahman is Upazila Agriculture Officer (UAO), Ramu, Cox’s Bazar)