The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) says, on account of higher demand from spinners and garment makers in the country, this year’s cotton consumption in Bangladesh is expected to rise 4.91 per cent year-on-year to 6.4 million bales. The report predicts that in the current cotton year that begins on the first of August next year and ends on July 31, 2018, more than 430 spinning mills in Bangladesh will consume 6.4 million bales of cotton.

Vice President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Mahmud Hasan Khan adds cotton consumption and import in Bangladesh are related to the export of garment items. Since garment exports are increasing, cotton consumption and imports will also increase. Moreover, the country spends more than US $3 billion on import of cotton in a year. More than 80 per cent of its apparel products are cotton-based and the rest 20 per cent include viscose, polyester and other materials. Currently, local spinners can supply nearly 90 per cent of raw materials for the knitwear and 40 per cent for the woven sector. As a result of its geographical proximity and competitive price line in the category, Bangladesh imports 50 per cent of its total annual demand of cotton from India.