In a striking revelation from the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025, Bangladesh has outperformed both Pakistan and India in cotton yield—despite growing the crop on a significantly smaller area.
Let’s break it down: Bangladesh reported a cotton yield of 734 kg/ha, higher than Pakistan’s 717 kg/ha and India’s 436 kg/ha. Surprised? You’re not alone. This result flips the script on the assumption that bigger cultivation means better yield. So how is Bangladesh doing it?
The secret lies in efficiency. Bangladesh has invested in smart crop management, superior pest control, and better disease resistance techniques. While Pakistan and India struggle with erratic pest outbreaks and quality issues in seeds and inputs, Bangladesh seems to have found a winning formula in optimizing limited resources.
But it’s not just about cotton. The survey also dives into other major crops—and the results are equally fascinating.
• Sugarcane: India leads here with 84,000 kg/ha, far ahead of Pakistan (74,269 kg/ha) and Bangladesh (48,000 kg/ha). India’s edge comes from early-maturing varieties and robust farm infrastructure.
• Wheat: India tops again with 3615 kg/ha, while Bangladesh follows closely at 3550 kg/ha. Pakistan stands at 3240 kg/ha. Improved seed use and better extension services give India the lead, but Bangladesh is not far behind.
• Rice: This is where Bangladesh shines again—4720 kg/ha, beating India’s 4300 kg/ha and Pakistan’s 2713 kg/ha. The reason? A potent combination of favorable climate, high-yielding varieties, and strong public research and extension networks.
So what’s the takeaway?
Despite its smaller agricultural footprint, Bangladesh is setting a high bar with its performance, especially in cotton. The country’s approach offers valuable lessons for Pakistan and India—particularly in embracing better farm practices, smarter input usage, and research-backed innovations.
The race for agricultural excellence in South Asia is heating up—and Bangladesh is clearly in the lead when it comes to cotton.