2023-05-18 22:10:06
Washington (ots/PRNewswire) – The visit of a Cotton Council International (CCI) sponsored delegation from the Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture to the United States from 30 October to 5 November 2022 and the vital efforts of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) office in Dhaka eventually persuaded the government of Bangladesh to relax the fumigation requirement for US cotton imports that had been in place for nearly five decades.
This shift in thinking removes a major barrier to US cotton exports to Bangladesh and saves Bangladeshi mills time and money in meeting their US cotton fiber import needs. Bangladesh mills pay over a million dollars a year for the unnecessary cost of fumigation of cotton imported from the US.
US exporters will continue to use the phytosanitary certificates issued by APHIS, but under the new regulation, the certificate will include an additional clause confirming that there are no live weevils in cotton bales from the US. APHIS will issue revised instructions for exporters.
The decision by the Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce to repeal fumigation regulations comes following six Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture delegation members participated in a CCI-sponsored cotton trip to the United States coordinated with the National Cotton Council (NCC). The delegation learned why US cotton bales do not harbor live weevils and received an overview of the US cotton industry’s successful program to eradicate the weevil, as well as modern cotton harvesting and standardized ginning methods.
Bangladesh is currently the second largest cotton importer in the world according to the May 2023 USDA FAS Global Market Analysis. While Bangladesh produces some of its cotton domestically, this accounts for only 1% or less of total demand.
Bangladesh was one of the top 10 US cotton export markets in 2022 with exports worth $477.07 million (https://www.fas.usda.gov/regions/bangladesh).
Cotton Council International (CCI) is a not-for-profit trade association that uses the COTTON USA™ mark to promote US cotton fiber and cotton products worldwide. Our reach extends to more than 50 countries and over 20 offices around the world. With more than 65 years of experience, CCI’s mission is to make US cotton the fiber of choice for mills/manufacturers, brands/retailers and consumers and to deliver a value-add premium that increases US cotton industry profitability and export growth of fibers, yarns and other cotton products. Visit cottonusa.org for more information.
Questions & contact:
Jenn Sarter
jsarter@cotton.org; Bruce Atherley,
batherley@cotton.org; Will Bettendorf,
wbettendorf@cotton.org
1684448511
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