AGROTEXTILE PRODUCTS & THEIR USAGE

1. SASMIRA AGROTEXTILE PRODUCTS & THEIR USAGE Mrs. Manisha A. Hira Scientist C SASMIRA, Mumbai

2. SASMIRA Indian Agricultural scenario • Increasing population. • Industrialisation & Urbanisation • The population dependent on agriculture has increased from 270 million to 670 million • Per capita availability of cultivable land has dropped from 0.36 hectare to 0.13 hectare • The contribution of agriculture to India’s GDP has reduced from 39% to 22% during 1974 – 2004. • Pertinent Problems • Population is expected to touch 1.33 billion in the year 2020 and the demand for food grain is going to be around 280 million tonnes • Diminishing arable area and water. • Global warming

3. SASMIRA FACTORS INFLUENCING AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES • Sunlight – direct and indirect • Water • Climatic Conditions including wind, hail, • humidity • External factors like birds, insects, weeds • Post Harvest handling of produce – storage • and packaging • In India, presently Agricultural Activities are carried out under Natural Conditions of Temperature and Humidity

4. SASMIRA CONSEQUENCES OF ABSENCE OF CONTROL FACTORS • Yield percentage is unsatisfactory • Quality of produce is marred • Damages to the produce • Regional limitation on cultivation • Seasonal limitation on cultivation THE ABOVE FACTORS CAN BE EFFECTIVELY CONTROLLED USING AGROTEXTILE PRODUCTS

5. SASMIRA WHAT IS AGROTEXTILE Special textiles that are manufactured for agricultural applications These textile structures are used as controlling environment for plants / animals in applications like Agriculture Horticulture Animal husbandry

6. Sunscreen net Wind shield nets Bird nets Crop covers Harvesting nets Insect nets Mulch mat Anti-hailstone nets Packing sacks and wrappers Fishing nets Cut grass collection bags Underlay fabrics Udder support nets SASMIRA Agrotextile products

7. SASMIRA Protective Agrotextiles • Shade nets • Bird protection nets • Anti – hail nets • Wind breaking nets • Harvesting nets • Insect nets • Ground covers • Crop covers

8. SASMIRA Product Details • Bird Protection Net • Polyolefin monofilament / Tape yarns • Warp knitted • 2 – 3 cm mesh size • 40 – 80 g/sq.m. • Shading net • Polyethylene Tape yarns • Warp knitted, mesh size as per the required shading % • 60 – 90 g/sq.m. • Woven structures of lighter weight are also used • Windshield fabrics • Polypropylene monofilament / Tape yarns • Warp knitted, mesh size as per the required wind blocking %, 40 – 90 g/sq.m. • Woven structures of lighter weight are also used

9. SASMIRA Agrotextile Product Details, contd.. • Plant nets • Polypropylene monofilament / Polyethylene Tape yarns • Warp knitted • Strips of nets with large opening, 30 -40 g/sq.m • Harvesting nets • Polypropylene monofilament / Polyethylene Tape yarns • Warp knitted • Flat nets of square or triangular construction, of mesh size 8 – 12 mm • 40 – 90 g/sq.m • Woven structures of lighter weight are also used

10. SASMIRA Agrotextile Product Details, contd.. • Ground Covers • Polypropylene, spunbonded • 100 g/sq.m and above • Woven/Nonwoven biodegradable structures of jute and coir are also used Packing Material • Polyethylene Tape yarn • Warp knitted, 50 – 60 g/sq.m • Woven jute sacks are also used

11. SASMIRA Fibres used in Agrotextile products • Nylon • Polyester • Polyethylene • Polypropylene • Jute • Wool

12. SASMIRA AGRO TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE

13. SASMIRA AGRO TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE Contd…

14. Red Mulch for Tomato SASMIRA

15. Strawberry crop on Mulched Beds SASMIRA

16. Solarization SASMIRA

17. Lining of ponds SASMIRA

18. Low Tunnels SASMIRA

19. Off-season Vegetable Cultivation in Greenhouses SASMIRA

20. HORTI-POTS SASMIRA

21. SASMIRA MARKET SCENARIO 2000 2005 2010 Identified and forecast by DRA report ,World Market forecast, 2010. Indian market is expected to increase from Rs. 510 crores in 2007 to Rs. 742 crores by 2012

22. SASMIRA Region-wise Global Consumption of Agrotextiles Identified and forecast by DRA report, World Market forecast, 2010.

23. SASMIRA Summary of the market-sizing for Agrotech Source : ICRA Management Services Report on Baseline Study Summary

24. TYPES OF GREEN HOUSE SASMIRA Low cost – Vegetable Medium cost tunnel – Spices High cost - Floriculture

25. GREEN HOUSES SASMIRA 2.5 m 3 m 2.0 m 2.0 m 10 m 10 m 5 m 5 m LOW COST Bamboo, Jute Cloth/UV Stabilised Plastic Film, shade nets Natural control on temp.& humidity 100 – 125 MEDIUM COST PVC Pipes, UV Stabilised Plastic Film/ Shade net, Plastic Wires Air circulating fans to control temp. & humidity 450 – 500 HIGH COST Metallic frame, UV Stabilised Plastic Film/ nets, plastic wires Systems to control andregulate temp. & humidity 1500 - 2000 TYPE MATERIAL FEATURES COST (Rs./sq.m)

26. SASMIRA ADVANTAGES OF GREEN HOUSE USAGE FOR DIFFERENT CROPS

27. SASMIRA MULCHES • Substrates used in proximity to soil to help conservation of soil moisture and the moderation of soil temperatureirrespective of climatic conditions • Materials used for mulching • Black Plastic Film (BPM) • Nonwoven fabrics BPM in marigold 7-micron plastic in bitter gourd

28. BENEFITS OF MULCHING SASMIRA • Moisture conservation • Maintenance of soil structure • Soil borne pathogens control • Better fertilizer use • Increase in yield • Weed control ECONOMICS OF MULCHES

29. SASMIRA Nonwoven mulches vis-à-vis Mulch films • Conventional Mulch films • Using HDPE sheets, prevent weed growth • However, do not provide controlled microclimate for crop growth • Nonwoven mulches like • Spunbond polypropylene nonwovens • Multilayer construction of mulchmats consisting of Needle punched Nonwoven, Support scrim and Monoporous laminate • Advantages • Controlled soil microclimate • Appropriate soil and water management • Prevent weed growth

30. SASMIRA Textile Mulches(Nonwoven & Woven)

31. SASMIRA HDPE Film Mulches

32. SASMIRA Benefits of Usage of Protective Agrotextiles • Controlled cultivation of crops w.r.t. natural variants like sunlight, rainfall, humidity, soil moisture, etc. • Protection from attack of birds, insects and other pests. • Prevention of weed growth. • Reduction in harvesting and post harvesting losses.

33. SASMIRA IMPEDIMENTS TO MARKETING OF AGROTEXTILES • Lack of awareness amongst the agriculturist • Lack of proper guidance on usage of Agrotextile products • The attitude of being bandwagons • Unorganized structure of cultivation • Absence of norms on Price and Quality of Agrotextile products • Absence of Government regulations

34. SASMIRA STEPS TO PROMOTE USAGE AGROTEXTILES IN THE COUNTRY • Organising Programmes for Promotion and Awareness of Agrotextiles in the country • Creating demonstration farms • Availability of cost benefit analysis on usage of Protective Agrotextiles for various crops • Laying down Quality norms for the Agrotextile products being used by the cultivators • Proposing Government Regulations

35. SASMIRA CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AGROTEXTILES OUR VISION “To become a world class leading service drivennational center for technical textile with international accreditation to serve the industry in general and agriculture sector in particular”

36. SASMIRA MISSION COE AGROTEXTILE • Creating awareness regarding agrotextiles products amongst agriculturists • To assist the industry for entrepreneurship in the field of agrotextiles • To provide training to the potential agrotextile manufacturers and users. • To create state-of-the-art testing and certification facilities for agrotextile products • To achieve self –reliance for the Centre of Excellence • To develop and indigenise cost-effective agrotextile products • To help the agricultural sector mainly to attain • Increased productivity by protection of crops • Early harvesting • Improved means of controlled irrigation • Conservation of natural resources

37. SASMIRA STATE – OF –THE-ART FACILITIES AT COE AGROTEXTILES • Demonstration Pilot Plant facilities • Accredited Testing facilities • Information center for Agrotextiles • Training Center for Agrotextiles

38. SASMIRA Concluding Remarks • Protective Agrotextiles like shade nets, harvesting nets, ground covers, etc are beneficial for cultivation. • It is required is we popularise these products to the masses through media, awareness programmes, demonstration centres, and Government regulations. • There is a strong need to strengthen the research on horticultural crops and to develop demand-driven technology by improved variety, pest management, etc., in both public and private sectors. • These technologies should be quickly disseminated to the farmers and help them to upgrade their technical abilities.

39. SASMIRA • A small targeted group of talented stakeholders and small entrepreneurs should be identified and assisted in obtaining access to funding, technical assistance and supply chain partners. • This small group should be actively encouraged to develop business plans and feasibility studies. • Also, the Centre of Excellence is working towards evaluation, standardisation of Agrotextile products. • What is required is industry – academia working together with the cultivators with support from the Government.

40. SASMIRA SASMIRA THANK YOU