Tobacco Growing More Popular in Bangladesh

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 02/22/2011

Tobacco cultivation in Bangladesh has increased by 50 per cent during the past five years, according to a New Age story quoting Ministry of Agriculture figures. The ministry figures indicate that tobacco was grown on 31,500 ha during 2005 but on 49,000 ha in 2009, when 98,000 tonnes was produced. But according to a survey undertaken by the Work for a Better Bangladesh Trust, the total tobacco area given over to tobacco has more than doubled to 74,000 ha. "Tobacco cultivation is not only reducing the land available to grow food but also destroying the fertility of soil, forests and environment," said Farida Akhter, executive director of the anti-tobacco organisation, UBINIG. "Both international and local companies are now shifting tobacco farming from Rangpur, Kushtia and Maherpur districts to Bandarban district due to the availability of wood for curing tobacco and loss of soil fertility in areas where cultivation has taken place," she claimed. Akhter referred also to what were said to be the poor occupational health standards in tobacco processing plants. "It is very difficult to breathe in the tobacco processing places and especially women and children are facing serious health problems," she added. Enditem