The United States (US) today hailed Bangladesh’s decision as Bangladesh’s Government has relaxed the mandatory on-arrival fumigation requirements of US cotton.
Effective on May 16, 2023, US cotton can arrive in Bangladesh without fumigation at the port of entry, a statement issued by the US embassy said it.
In this connection, US Ambassador in Dhaka Peter Haas said, “Working together with Bangladesh to solve this issue is a great example of how our two countries can collaborate to increase prosperity and remove trade barriers”.
He said Bangladesh needs high-quality US cotton to fuel its growth and increase foreign exchange earnings, while American consumers rely on sustainable, high-quality garments produced in Bangladesh.
Previously, the fumigation requirement effectively imposed a five-day delay in the delivery of US cotton, and Bangladeshi importers paid over a million dollars annually in fumigation costs on US cotton.
This action follows a successful visit to the United States by a technical delegation from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Agriculture in November 2022.
During the visit, the delegation verified US cotton production and pest management strategies, followed by cotton processing techniques-ginning, lint cleaning, and bale compression that remove any risk of the boll weevil in US cotton.
Bangladesh is the second-largest global importer of cotton, and the seventh-largest export market for US cotton, exceeding $475 million in export value in 2022.
Bangladesh Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque also welcomed the move.
Over the last 22 years, the US government, in cooperation with the US cotton industry, has continually negotiated with the Bangladesh Government to remove this fumigation requirement, the release added.
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