Dhaka, July 4 -- Bangladeshi spinning mills are increasingly turning to direct procurement of raw cotton from US farmers, bypassing traditional international trading houses in a move expected to lower costs for local manufacturers while ensuring better returns for American growers.Demographics

The initiative, led by a new US-based trade platform named AmeriBangla, has already facilitated direct cotton purchases by three Bangladeshi textile companies, while another 19 spinning mills are in talks to join the programme.

AmeriBangla Chief Executive Officer Aswar Rahman says the company has spent more than a year building a direct supply chain linking Bangladeshi mills with US cotton growers.

"We now have a strong network of around 900 farm...