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The Economic Cost of Tobacco Farming in Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • AKM Ghulam Hussain

    (Department of Economics, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh)

  • Abu Shara Shamsur Rouf

    (Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh)

  • Shafiun Nahin Shimul

    (Institute of Health Economics, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh)

  • Nigar Nargis

    (American Cancer Society, Atlanta, GA 30303-1002, USA)

  • Tara Mona Kessaram

    (World Health Organization, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh)

  • Syed Mahfuzul Huq

    (World Health Organization, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh)

  • Jagdish Kaur

    (WHO South East Asia Regional Office, Delhi 110001, India)

  • Md Khairul Alam Shiekh

    (National Tobacco Control Cell, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Bangladesh, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh)

  • Jeffrey Drope

    (School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607, USA)

Abstract

The extent of tobacco cultivation remains substantially high in Bangladesh, which is the 12th largest tobacco producer in the world. Using data from a household survey of current, former, and never tobacco farmers, based on a multi-stage stratified sampling design with a mix of purposive and random sampling of households, this study estimated the financial and economic profitability per acre of land used for tobacco cultivation. The environmental effects of tobacco cultivation on land and water resources were estimated using laboratory tests of sample water and soil collected from tobacco-cultivating and non-tobacco cultivating areas. The study finds that tobacco cultivation turns into a losing concern when the opportunity costs of unpaid family labour and other owned resources, and the health effects of tobacco cultivation are included. Tobacco cultivation poses a significantly high environmental cost that causes a net loss to society. Nevertheless, the availability of unpaid family labour and the options of advanced credit as well as a buy back guarantee from the tobacco companies attract farmers to engage in and continue tobacco cultivation. Therefore, supply side interventions to curb the tobacco epidemic in Bangladesh need to address major drivers of tobacco cultivation to correct the wrong incentives and motivate tobacco farmers to switch to alternative livelihood options.

Suggested Citation

  • AKM Ghulam Hussain & Abu Shara Shamsur Rouf & Shafiun Nahin Shimul & Nigar Nargis & Tara Mona Kessaram & Syed Mahfuzul Huq & Jagdish Kaur & Md Khairul Alam Shiekh & Jeffrey Drope, 2020. "The Economic Cost of Tobacco Farming in Bangladesh," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-21, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:24:p:9447-:d:463442
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ashis Talukder & Iqramul Haq & Mohammad Ali & Jeffrey Drope, 2020. "Factors Associated with Cultivation of Tobacco in Bangladesh: A Multilevel Modelling Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-7, June.
    2. Priyanka Ravi & Kiranmayee Muralidhar & Maiya G. Block Ngaybe & Shivamma Nanjaiah & Poornima Jayakrishna & Ashley A. Lowe & Karl Krupp & Amanda M. Wilson & Frank A. von Hippel & Zhao Chen & Lynn B. Ge, 2024. "Qualitative Study to Explore the Occupational and Reproductive Health Challenges among Women Tobacco Farm Laborers in Mysore District, India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-19, May.

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