History of Nepali Cotton : its Challenges and Opportunities

Cotton, the ‘White gold’, is one of the important commercial crops playing a key role in the economic, political and social affairs of the world. Cotton is grown chiefly for its fiber, used in the manufacture of cloth for the mankind. Cotton cultivation was started in Nepal to fulfill the demands of its textile industries since 1971.
Area of cotton cultivation was about 3,600 ha during 1995-1996 and started declining since then and reached to below 20 ha during 2004-2005. Cotton cultivation was confined to Mid-western Terai region since its initiation. Now-a-days farmers of remote areas are cultivating it in marginal land. The fiber has cultural and religious value.
Before cultivating annual cotton people used to plant perennial tree cotton (Gossypium arborium). This species is available in mid hill and Terai region. Thread woven from the fiber of tree cotton used to manufacture handloom cloth.

Cultivation of cotton in Nepal was practiced from ancient time. Especially perennial type of cotton was cultivated from ancient time. Charkha (locally made thread separator made by wood) was used to weave yarn and made the cloth by using tan (locally made cloth weaving machine made by wood-Hand loom). The practice of manufacturing cloth by using charkha and tan is still prevailed in many places of Nepal. But the scientific cotton cultivation was started since 1971. At that time, “Hetauda Textile Factory” was established with the financial and technical aid of Chinese Government. It is reported that, to supply the raw material to Hetauda Textile Factory, the scientific cultivation of cotton was started.

In 1973-74, the UNDP has introduced American Upland Cotton in Nepal for Cash Crop Development Programme. It played as the milestone to shift from cultivation of perennial cotton to annual type of cotton in cotton history of Nepal. In 1977, with the support of UNDP/ FAO “The State Farm of Cotton” was established in needs 2000 ha Kumbhar of Bardiya District of Nepal with the mandate as follows:

• Research in cotton on various aspects
• Preparation of cotton extension materials and execution of various cotton extension activities
• Production of cotton on farm
• Promote farmers to produce cotton

Besides playing the role in area expansion, farm was unable to perform the given mandate efficiently and effectively. Thus, in 1980-81, to promote cotton The Government of Nepal has declared the establishment of “Cotton Development Board” with the following mandates:

• To manage the former state farm of cotton
• To conduct research and development of cotton production technology
• To extend cotton technology to farmers
• To produce foundation and certified seed as per demand
• To buy cotton produced by farmers
• To manage the market of cotton fibers and seeds board.

Cotton Development Board of Nepal has ginning machine with capacity of 4 MT per hour, which running far below its capacity. Cotton cultivation is concentrated to remote area where there is no possibility to produce other cash crops viz. vegetables. There is possibility of producing organic cotton. Some districts of eastern development region have started cotton cultivation due to demand of fibers for handloom cottage industries.

Textile and Garment Industries

Textile weaving is an age-old economic activity, which is widespread even in the remote hilly regions of the country. Besides organized textile mills in the formal sector, small and cottage household weavers are also major sources of textile production. Readymade garments has emerged as the chief export product of the country.

Starting from the mid 1980s, the readymade garment (RMG) industry in Nepal experienced rapid growth, mainly due to the quota facility provided by the industrialized countries such as the United States (US). Capitalizing on the quota ‘rents’, within 10 years, the industry also became the biggest export-oriented manufacturing industry of the country

Current Situation of Cotton in Nepal

Cotton cultivation is confound to only three districts- Banke, Bardiya and Dang of mid-western development region on Nepal where 122.5 ha was the area covered with 1118 Kg /ha yield of seed cotton and 137 MT production Initially, According to Cotton Development Board, Nepal there is about 400 tonnes of lint cotton remained unsold in Nepal because textile industries use low cost raw materials and import yarn from outside.

Challenges

There are some challenges in cotton cultivation which are given below:

1. Reducing cost of cultivation
2. Area coverage of cotton
3. Varietal improvement
4. Use of non-cotton fibers in textile and garment industries
5. Plant protection management for pest of cotton
6. Proper use of infrastructures available

Opportunities

There are opportunities in cotton which are as follows:

1. Garments and textile industries are still the main sectors of manufacturing industries which accounts a lot for export and create employment opportunities
2. Handlooms as small and cottage industries are using cotton fibers
3. There is high demand of garments made from cotton fibers
4. Farmers are motivated toward organic cotton
5. Farmers of mid-western development region are still growing cotton
6. There are tree cotton species grown in wild condition which may be used for varietal improvement
7. Infrastructures which are already established can contribute for cotton development

Nepal is rich in biodiversity and there are many microclimatic niches which can be utilized for crop improvement. Being surrounded by highly populated countries, scope of increasing demand of cloth and textile can be harnessed by the fibers of cotton. There is very low amount of chemicals used in Nepal which can be utilized to produce organic cotton.

Writer: Biplov Ojha (Institute: Gauradaha Agriculture Campus, Gauradaha, Jhapa)