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The country is contemplating revoking the requisite for fumigating cotton imported from the United States following a recommendation by officials after a field-level inspection.
To this end, the Agriculture Ministry has sought the Commerce Ministry’s steps to urgently exclude such a provision from the Import Policy Order 2021-2024, sources said.
Bangladesh is the only country that imposes fumigation requirements for American cotton at the port of entry.
The country annually spends over $3.5-$4 billion in importing around 8 million bales of cotton.
It produces only 160,000 bales of cotton yearly.
Since Bangladesh is one of the biggest importers of cotton, American cotton exporters are seemingly focusing on the Bangladesh market.
The request comes as per a field-level study done by a technical team that visited the states of Tennessee, Mississippi and Texas from October 31-November 4 last year.
Bangladesh can take steps for the way forward, may review existing plant quarantine act, rules, and the import policy order to resolve the APHIS proposal of removing the requirement for US cotton after arrival here, recommended the visiting team.
It also suggested realizing US cotton consignment at Bangladesh port subject to a declaration in the phytosanitary certificate from USDA Animal and Plants Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that each consignment is free from boll weevil and the baling process maintains standard procedure.
As cotton ginning and baling are done before shipment, the team assumed that there is almost no possibility of transfer of boll weevil to Bangladesh.
The team inspected US cotton production, processing, ginning, baling, certification and shipment activities based on the APHIS proposal for removal of the requirement for cotton fumigation.
It visited boll weevil-free areas and infamous insect-infested areas and met farmers, ginners, scientists, extension workers, and officials of National Cotton Council, and Boll Weevil Eradication Program.
The officials claimed about 99% cotton production areas are insect-free.
There is no live boll weevil in US cotton and no fumigation is required in China, Vietnam, Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand, Korea, Japan and Peru during exportation, they said.
In July 2019, the Bangladesh Tariff Commission recommended the government not to stop applying fumigation rules to avert any possible harmful impact of the infamous insect boll weevil on local crops.
According to the Agriculture Ministry, boll weevil remains alive for 11 months and flies up to five miles.
It is very harmful to crops like cotton and okra.
But cotton importers and spinners have frequently urged the authorities concerned to leave the age-old provision of performing fumigation in importing raw cotton from the USA to save time and money.
American cotton industry leaders have also called for lifting double-fumigation rules on the import of the commodity to Bangladesh.
As per rule 3(7) of the Plant Quarantine Rules-2018, any cotton imported into Bangladesh must carry an SPS certificate from the competent authorities of the exporting country.
(DT)
