Promotion of Off Season Vegetable Production Through Tunnel Technology

Abrar Ahmad asked:




Growing off-season vegetables under plastic sheet tunnels is a new but easy going and popular technology. By employing this technique inner temperature of the tunnel may be increased according to the requirement of the specific vegetable enabling the plants to yield high productions 45 to 60 days earlier than their natural season hence providing the opportunity to capture high profits in the markets.

The profits so obtained are three to four folds than the seasonal production. For that purpose training could be obtained from the local agriculture extension agents. Through this technology environment, temperature and humidity is controlled artificially but not very intricate or complex equipments are used.

Vegetables are provided temperature and environment according to their need which is inevitable for their growth and yielding high productions. The environment such provided also helps aiding rapid growth and good quality. However having high temperatures and more humidity the vegetables are more vulnerable to the attacks of diseases and pests. In order to cope that challenge more vigilance is required. This technology is high earning provided you are well trained and alert to tackle any adverse situation but normally if due measures are taken people engaged in this business are quite successful.

The underlying principle is increasing inner temperature of tunnel through white plastic sheets which is best absorbent of heat and can easily increase raise 6-8 degrees. This helps marketing the vegetables in the period when no normal seasonal products is available and this fresh vegetable is of better quality as well. This technology is not only helpful in producing off-season vegetables but also best quality and high yields are obtained through hybrid seeds and calculated appropriate dozes of fertilizers. It helps increasing income of the producer and also accelerate the market mechanism and helps supplying consumers best and fresh vegetables. to achieve the purpose hybrid seeds are used and such seed are sown which do not require normal insects for purpose of their fertilization.