Cotton Production a major source of Revenue
Cotton “ The white gold’’ is most valuable and unique among major agricultural crops in the number of its actual and potential uses. Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The word cotton is from the Arabic “al-qattan”. The Sanskrit word for cotton is Karpasa. Cultivation of cotton in Nepal was practiced from ancient time. Cotton is mainly grown in Banke, Bardia, Dang, Kailali and Kanchanpur districts of Nepal. The major five exporter of cotton are: USA, India, Brazil, Australia, Uzbekistan. It is estimated that 48,000 tons of cotton can be produced annually and 14,000 household can be engaged in cotton production in the country. At present cotton is produced in less than 2 percent of the total productive land of the total viable area.
Scientific cotton cultivation started in 1971 in Nepal . Now readymade garments has emerged as the chief export product of the country and has contributed 39% to the total overseas export and earned Rs. 11.5 billion (US$ 153 million) in the last fiscal year (2000-2001). The garment industry, started during the late 1970s, has developed into one of the major industrial activities within a span of 20 years. There are 50 textile companies and more than 100 garments companies registered in Nepal. The annual production capacity of textile industry is 1.87 million pieces, 22 million square meters, 7 million pounds and 10386 metric tons, and that of garment industry is 12 million pieces and 3000 metric tons (DoI, 2014). Total production of cotton in Nepal is 14042 kg/ha ( statistical information of Nepalese agriculture 2017/18) . Nepal, modern cotton cultivation was initiated in 1969/70 in Banke district in the form of small research. HMG/Nepal and Government of Israel took this research initiation jointly.
Cotton is chiefly grown for its fibre, which is used in the manufacture of cotton cloth for the mankind and other products like towels, carpets or sheets. Most notably, the fibre is used to manufacture hydrophilic cotton (cotton wool), compress, gauze bandages, tampons or sanitary towels, and cotton swabs and Garments product. Garment manufacturing includes designing, cutting, stitching, pressing, quality control, packaging and logistics and marketing. Hetauda textile mill was one of the main garment manufactures and demands the spinning from Butwal spinning mills. After the closure of Hetauda textile mill, there was sharp decline in demand of cotton spinning.
The short fibers can be used in the paper industry too. It is also used for several other purposes like making threads, for fixing other fibre and extracting semi drying edible oil (20-25%), Cotton seed is used for three products-oil, meal and hulls. Cotton oil is primarily used for shortening, cooking oil and salad dressing. The meal and hulls separately or in combination used as livestock, poultry fish feed and as fertilizer. The seed fuzz (short fibers) is used in making high grade writing paper, tissue papers, rayon, photographic paper, x- ray films, shatter proof glasses, sausage, surgical cotton and several other items.
Cotton seed cake is a good source of organic manure and contain about as much as 40% protein and about 5% N, 3% P2O5 and 2% K2O. Cotton cake is also used as a good concentrated feed for cattle. Cotton stems are used as organic manure, fuel and manufacturing of particle boards, pulp and paper, hard boards, corrugated boards and boxes, micro crystalline cellulose, cellulose derivates and as a substrate for cultivation of edible mushrooms. Cotton leaves contain citric acid (4.2-7.2%) and malic acid (13.6-16.5%) and the cotton leaves can be used for production of these two organic acids.
Not only does it produce fibre, it also produces high quality oil and a protein meal equivalent to or better than soybean. Cotton has a great demand in South Asian region in terms of rural economic development. According to the World Bank around 67.4% populations live in rural area in South Asia. This rural population need strong economic base to support food security and livelihood. Research has shown that for last fifty years South Asian agriculture have invested only to increase food production rather than cash crop. However, an integrated development approach with multiple socio-economic opportunities in rural areas is necessary to sustain the rural livelihood and communities. Among crops, cotton can be a great opportunity to economic development as it provides cash earnings for the farmers. If we compared with most crops, cotton adapts well in adverse agro-ecological conditions. Some of the constraining factors contributing to low yields of cotton in Nepal are high costs of pesticides, fertilizers, poor seed quality, and lack of access to credit , lack of certified since it impacts on the quality integrity and germination rate of the cotton.
Cotton production in Nepal can be justified as a poverty- reduction strategy for the government of Nepal. To uplift the income of farmers, a large number of farmers can be engaged in cotton production. Reduction in cost of production and prices, demand for necessity to ensure availability of seeds, pesticides at the required time and access to capital in the short run and long run. Nepal, being an agricultural country, can be successful in keeping up its production base at certain level despite various difficulties experienced during few decades.
Government has been taking adequate initiatives for staring up cotton production. Cotton production is viable and can be a major source of revenue of farmers and thousands of employment opportunities can be created in short period of time. Last year, Cotton Development committee had produced 600 tons of cotton in Western parts of Nepal which has encouraged the farmers to follow and take benefits out of canton plantation. Buyback guarantee of the products, technical and managerial support by the experts appointed by the committee are the attractive points for the farmer to adventure into cotton farming.
Writer: Bandana Bhattarai (College: Institute of agriculture and animal science gauradaha jhapa (T.U), Currently working at Unity for Nation development And Dynamic youth Nepal-Jhapa )