Bangladesh Announces Tk 20 Crore Incentive Scheme For Cotton Farmers
The Bangladesh government has announced a Tk 20 crore incentive package for cotton farmers for the 2026–27 financial year to boost domestic cotton production and support marginal farmers, according to the Cotton Development Board (CDB).
Around 25,000 farmers across 26 districts will receive seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to cultivate cotton on one bigha of land under the programme.
Md Rezaul Amin, executive director of the CDB, said each farmer would receive agricultural inputs worth Tk 8,000, including hybrid cotton seeds, fertilisers, fungicides and growth regulators.
According to the CDB, cotton cultivation is becoming increasingly profitable, with farmers able to earn nearly Tk 60,000 from one bigha against an estimated production cost of Tk 15,000.
The initiative is also aimed at reducing Bangladesh’s heavy reliance on imported cotton. The country imported 8.1 million bales of cotton in 2025, making it the world’s largest cotton importer, according to the USDA.
Despite being a leading global exporter of readymade garments, Bangladesh produces only around 153,000 bales of cotton annually, meeting less than 2% of domestic demand.
Officials said the incentive scheme is expected to encourage more farmers to grow cotton and reduce tobacco cultivation. The programme will be monitored jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, CDB officials and local administrations.
The CDB added that the use of genetically modified cotton varieties has helped improve yields and reduce import dependency.
