NATORE. Apr 3: Despite potential for massive cultivation, cotton production in Rajshahi Zone is being hampered due to lack of credit facilities, scarcity of quality seeds and constraints of marketing, reports UNB.

The government efforts to boost cotton production and remove the existing problems went in vein as the Cotton Development Board (CDB) failed to make any headway in increasing cotton production since its inception in 1972.

According to official sources. 6000 bales of cotton are being produced on an average in Rajshahi zone annually.

A total of 6,500 acres of land against the target of 8.000 acres have been brought under cotton cultivation this year in Rajshahi zone, fixing the production target at 6.700 bales.

The Cotton Development Board in the zone has 16 units, comprising 10 thanas of Natore. Rajshahi and Naogaon districts.

The officials said only 15 per cent of the country's cotton re-3uirement is met by local pro-uction while the rest come from foreign sources.

When asked a local agronomist said that cotton farming is more profitable than that ofcash crops like jute and

tobacco.

"If proper steps can be taken 12,000 more acres of land could be brought under cotton cultivation in the Rajshahi zone alone.

He said there are 20.000 acres of land suitable for cotton cultivation of which 15,000 acres are economically viable in the zone.

♦ But the farmers virtually have no capital for cotton production. They can hardly get Ioan from Bangladesh Krishi Bank. In many cases they fall victim to harassment by the bank officials.

The per acre production cost of cotton is estimated at Tk 4.500 to 5,o00. "But most of the small and marginal farmers are unable to bear the cost." said Rezaul Karim, a young cotton grower in Bagatipara thana of the district.

He said scarcity of high-yielding cotton seeds is also a major barrier to cotton cultivation.

In the zone, the CDB purchased about 2.500 maunds of cotton so far against its procurement target of 4.000 maunds this year.

There have been reports that the CDB in many cases failed to procure cotton at the official rate due to active participation of the traders in private sector.

The official rate of cotton seed has been fixed at Tk 1.040 per maund this year, but the traders are collecting cotton seed at the rate of Tk 1.100 to Tk 1.200.

The total demand for quality seeds is estimated at about 580 maunds for Rajshahi zone where the CDB supplies maximum 300 maunds to 350 maunds every year.