Floriculture Today June 2011
Floriculture Today June 2011
Floriculture Today June 2011
Floriculture Today June 2011
Chief Editor
S. Jafar Naqvi
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Vol 16....... Issue 1...... June 2011
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FLORICULTURE TODAY June 2011
Contents 8 EDITORIAL
GREENHOUSE 10 Design aspects of Tropical Green Houses — Anand Zambre
16 Repairs and Maintenance of Green House Structures and Micro Irrigation Systems — Anand Zambre
20 History of Green House Development 24 Green House Industry
— V. Ponnuswami, K. Padmadevi and S.P. Thamaraiselvi
28 Green House Structure How it has changed over the years — Abhishek Agarwal 30 Indian Green House Industry — Gian Aggarwal Interview 32 “We cannot adopt one fixed structure everywhere” 34 Green House cultivation Ten-fold increase in productivity Views 38 Green House technology in India Issues and Challenges 39 Profile 40 Floriculture Abroad Chinese Floriculture 42 Gardening Ladder Gardening — Sunila Kumari
Floriculture Today June 2011
Floriculture Today June 2011
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From Editor’s Desk
I
n floriculture, as in any other agri business activity, development hinges much on research. New creations, aided by research, enhance their market potential. Novel fragrance and colours, prolonged shelf life, pest and disease resistance, all these are important aspects for researchers carrying on their work in laboratories around the world. Although research in floriculture in Indian Council of Agricultural Research under the Union Ministry of Agriculture does not enjoy as much priority as in food crops – and rightly so -- this apex farm research body has done over the years considerable work in this sector, and in the present context of crop diversification to augment the income of growers, such work assumes importance. In its latest annual report, ICAR has given some details of its research in rose and other flowers of commercial importance. Most rose varieties, developed for use as cut flowers, do well in winter, but efforts are under way by the scientists to identify varieties that can flower well in open fields in summer as well. Among them listed in the report are cultivars like Valentine, Summer Snow, Saratoga and Canadian Centenary in the floribundas group and Small Virtue and Rise-nShine in the miniatures group. Among other flowers, the scientists have identified for commercial release glaldiolus varieties Arka Naveen, Arka Gold and Arka Aman; Chrysanthemum variety Arka Pinkstar; and tuberose variety Arka Nirantara. In orchids, the choice of many flower lovers, much work is going on in ICAR institutes, especially in hybridization, for which 350 species are being maintained under protected conditions. In other parts of the world, quite active in conducting research
in floriculture is the private sector, besides universities. Genetic engineering techniques are being employed in considerable measure to develop designer cut flowers with exceptional colours. One colour which has eluded rose researchers for long is blue, as these plants are unable to produce blue pigments naturally. Australian corporate and market leader Florigene, owned by Japanese group, is the first to get closest to the goal, although its ‘blue’ rose is more violet than dark blue. How does one get this blue hue in rose? The scientists explain that colour change was effected through transfer of a gene found in violets that controls the production of blue pigment. Alongside, rose genes that usually produce red and orange pigments were made inoperative. Global trade in cut flowers is estimated at 40 billion US dollars, of which roses have a market share of 10 billion U S dollars. Use of gene technology is wide spread in various parts of the globe to impart new characteristics in flowers having a good commercial value. At the University of Florida, for instance, efforts are under way to return to roses those scents that have been lost during breeding. German scientists working at the University of Hanover are developing techniques of prolonging shelf life of Canterbury bluebells and Flaming Katies. Imparting cold and drought resistance in petunias and poinsettias is being attempted by scientists of the German Corporation Ornamental Bioscience. For genetically modified flowers, labeling laws are strict in EU. Such flower packs must carry the GM label, along with a warning, “not suitable for consumption by humans or animals.”
Comments are welcome at: mediatoday@vsnl.com
Views expressed by individuals and contributors in the magazine are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Floriculture Today editorial board. Floriculture Today does not accept any responsibility of any direct, indirect or consequential damage caused to any party due to views expressed by any one or more persons in the trade. All disputes are to be referred to Delhi Jurisdiction only. .....Editor
Floriculture Today June 2011
Floriculture Today June 2011
Greenhouse
Design aspects of Tropical greenhouses — Anand Zambre Joint Director, IHITC Jaipur
Greenhouse is a structure under which the crops can be grown in a partial or fully controlled climatic conditions. Greenhouse cultivation is common in India now-a-days. In almost every part of the country, farmers are showing interest in greenhouse technology and Government is also providing huge subsidies for greenhouse projects. It is generally observed that most of the farmers all over India have tropical polyhouses under which flower and vegetables are cultivated. This article aims to provide the readers the exact requirements of the tropical polyhouse structures along with some new structures that can be utilized and adopted by the farmers considering climate control and cost factors.
Proposed new designs in structures for tropical regions 1. Tropical polyhouse – Tropical polyhouses are also called as naturally ventilated (open vent type) or saw tooth type polyhouses. Such types of structures are widely used in India for cultivation of fl owers and vegetables
Tropical polyhouse
commercially. The main general features of such structures commonly used by all the greenhouse suppliers are as follows. 1. Stub type anchoring foundation or Telescopic foundation 2. Total height of Greenhouse structure normally should be 6 m to 7 m. 3. Gutter height should be 4 m to 5 m 4. Top Ventilation-10 % of ground area (Top vents -1 m in height) 5. Apron height-1.2 m to 1.5 m 6. Manually operated side opening and permanently open top vents. Flap control (especially designed) to protect curtain damages due to heavy wind pressure. 7. Corridors – 2 m from main poles for all four sides of the structure. 8. Grid – 8 m x 4 m. Minimum area of the polyhouse is 560 sqm but minimum economical viable area is 1008 sqm. Various crops like roses, gerberas, colored capsicums, tomatoes, Anthuriums etc can be successfully cultivated in such type of polyhouses. However, it is very important to take
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FLORICULTURE TODAY June 2011
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Greenhouse care of following points while construction of such polyhouses to get complete advantage of climate control and stability of the structure.
North Wind direction East
West
2. 3.
4. 5. 6. 7.
No pipes should be found welded except long bottom pipe (8 m length). Rest all length GI pipes are available in the market. The Aluminet 50% to be used at the top inside the polyhouse. The apron height must be 1.25 to 1.5m from ground fitted in profile and zig zag spring at the top of apron instead of GI wire. The apron plastic must be buried in the ground at least 30 cm from ground level. The curtain pipe should be cut near the door in case door is placed at the centre of the side wall. 35% shade net to be used to all the four sides of a polyhouse. The main column and small column must touch the concrete of the foundation and the foundation pipe should not be visible. In other words, the foundations should be leveled.
Tropical polyhouse Orientation (Direction) – Green house orientation depends upon light intensity, wind direction and velocity. The following points should be considered while erecting a tropical greenhouse. 1. The top vents should open towards the East side and the last vent of eastern side should open to West. 2. The Gutter should be placed in the North - South direction. 3. Along the gutter the slope should not be more than 2% 4. Along the gable side slope should not be more than 1.25%.
Gutter Side
1.
South Gable Side Tropical polyhouse Orientation 2. All season Poly tunnel – These are the low cost structures constructed all over India mainly for nursery purpose. Production of leafy vegetables, exotic vegetables is also possible in such type of structures. If the farmer is having less land, he can choose poly tunnel type structure for protected cultivation. The main advantage is that the top is covered by polythene and hence the crops can be protected from rain water. The sides are covered by shade net. Main features of the structure are as follows: 1. Width of the structure – 8 m to 12 m 2. Length of the structure – 28 m to 40 m 3. Centre Height of the structure – 4 m 4. Side height – 2 m 5. Top – to be covered by polythene 6. Sides – to be covered by shade net 50% green or white
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Greenhouse Poly tunnel
Shade house with Aluminet top
Poly tunnel from inside
3. Shade net house with Aluminet at top – These are the partially protected structures mostly used for vegetable cultivation and propagation nursery. Crops cultivated inside the shade house are not protected from rain water. Hence most of the farmers prefer to cultivate vegetable crops during winter and summer seasons. Various designs are available for shade net house. The proposed shade net house with Aluminet thermal screen at top for tropical region was first time constructed at International Horticulture Innovation and Training Centre (IHITC) Jaipur. It was found that the temperature under Aluminet is always less by 2 to 3 c as compared to normal shade net. The main features of such shade house are as follows. 1. Flat roof structures 2. Shade net 50% green or white to be used on sides. 3. Aluminet 50% to be used on top. 4. Height of the structure – 4 m. 5. Grid of the structure – 4 m x 4 m or 8 m x 4 m depending upon the wind velocity. 6. The shade net must be fitted to the structure by use of Aluminum profile and zig zag springs. Aluminet may be fitted in GI wires. 7. Bracings to all four sides and top corners. 8. No welding should be allowed. 12
Floriculture Today June 2011
Shadow hall is a new type of protected structure, found very effective in cultivation of Anthuriums, Orchids and such other shade loving crops. 4. Shadow Hall – Shadow hall is a new type of protected structure where shade net and polythene are used in a reverse way as compared to tropical polyhouse. It means the flat shade net is fitted at the top and inside the shade net, polythene is fitted on arches. Thus the gutters are also mounted below the shade net. The polythene and shade net are permanently fitted and not movable. Such structures are found very effective in cultivation of Anthuriums, Orchids and such other shade loving crops. Such structures are also found beneficial for propagation of ornamental nursery. The production of roses, Gerbera, carnation is also possible in such type of structures. Following are some of the main features of the structure. 1. Top height of the structure – 5 to 6 m 2. Gutter height – 3.5 to 4 m 3. Grid – 4 m X 4 m 4. Vertical structure without corridors and side curtains.
Greenhouse Shadow hall under construction
Maxi Vent Polyhouse
5. Maxi Vent Polyhouse – Considering the climate control in protected structures, Maxi vent structure is the best suited type in tropical areas. The main advantage of the structure is the top ventilation area being more than 25% of the ground area. The temperature inside maxi vent polyhouse is much lower as compared to any other tropical polyhouse thus increasing quality of the produce. The disadvantage of the structure is high cost and therefore not affordable to common farmers in India. The structure is imported and vents, side curtain opening, movement of aluminet is fully automatic.
1. 2. 3. 4.
5.
Top height – 6 m Gutter height – 4 M Grid – 6.4 m x 4 m, 8 m x 4 m Gear motors at top vents and side Maxi vent polyhouse curtains for movement of the top and side vents. Sensors of light intensity, temperature and humidity connected to the computer that automatically controls the movement of top vents, side vents and inside aluminet as per requirement of the crop. n E-mail: ihitc.jd@gmail.com
Floriculture Today June 2011
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Floriculture Today June 2011
Floriculture Today June 2011
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Greenhouse
Repairs and Maintenance of Greenhouse Structures and Micro Irrigation Systems — Anand Zambre Joint Director Technical IHITC, Jaipur
Repairs and Maintenance of greenhouse structures Greasing – Greasing should be done to the following parts of a polyhouses once a week. 1. Doors – The wheels of the doors and the ridge on which the wheels move from one side to other, should be greased properly at least once a month. 2. Racks – In case of an automatic opening and closing vents of a greenhouse, the racks should be greased fully once in a month. The adopters, in 16
FLORICULTURE TODAY June 2011
Greenhouse cultivation on commercial basis started in India 20 years ago in 1991. After 20 years, today greenhouse cultivation is common in India almost in every state and farmers are increasingly showing interest in greenhouse cultivation. At present, more than 25,000 greenhouses exist in India cultivating roses, gerbera, carnations, anthuriums, orchids and vegetables like capsicums, tomatoes, cucumbers, exotic vegetables etc. It is very important in greenhouse cultivation to repair and maintain the greenhouse structures and Irrigation systems to achieve better climate control, fertigation etc to produce better quality and quantity of the produce. This article aims to educate the farmers and greenhouse growers to understand the basic concepts of greenhouse structures, preventive maintenance and small repairs which they can and should undertake on a regular basis to increase the life of the structures and irrigation systems. which the racks are moving, should be greased. This will result in easy movement of racks. The pipes on which the racks are mounted, the joints of the pipe and the racks should be greased. 3. Motor & gear assembly – The motor and gears in case of automatic opening and closing of vents, should be greased once in a month. This will allow the gears to operate smoothly without rusting & it will not make any sound while in operation.
Greenhouse 4. Handles of side vents – In case of side vents, the handle of side vents should be greased properly once in a month. This will allow less force to operate the vents up and down. 5. Wheels of shade nets – The wheels, on which the string of shade net is moving, should be geared once in 15 days to achieve easy movement of shade net. Cleaning of top plastic – Because of winds, it is possible to get the dust (soil particles) on the top of plastic. It reduces the light transmissions in the polyhouses up to 15%. In order to achieve maximum light transmission in the polyhouses, one has to remove dust particles from the top plastic. We can achieve this by washing the top plastic with clean water every month particularly in a peak season. In rainy season, washing is not necessary as the rain falls on the top plastic and removes dust. We should start washing from November to March. Such washing also helps removal of algae if it is collected on top plastic. Application of Distemper/chalk Application of distemper/chalk helps in reducing light intensity and temperature in the greenhouse, especially in summer and hot seasons. Way of application– Lime or calcium carbonate [CaNO3] is used for coating on top plastic. White coating of lime reduces the temperature inside the greenhouse by 3–40c. It also reduces the lux intensity by 20-25 Klux. For a polyhouses of 500 sqm area, 20 Kg of lime is mixed in 150 lit of water and is sprayed on top plastic with the help of foot pump or knapsack sprayer. The lime should be thoroughly mixed in water and it should be properly fi ltered with the use of clean cloth, otherwise there may be chances of chocking of nozzles of spray gun. To stick the lime properly on the plastic, a gum or sticker [fevicol-ddl] is used in lime solution. Before using lime on the top plastic, plastic should be washed with clean water. Two labors can fi nish washing and lime coating in 4 hours for a polyhouses of an area 500 sqm. Procedure of application of distemper is same, only the quantity required is 15 Kg of distemper. Painting – In case of mild steel polyhouses, one should paint the structure with silver paint once in every two years. It will avoid rusting of the structure.
holes apply patch on it.
In case of
If possible wrap the GI pipe beneath the polythene with PUF (foam) or old plastic paper.
mild steel
If wind velocity is very high ropes can be used on top of vent to avoid fl apping of the paper on windward side.
one should
4.
The curtain flap controller should be kept tightened.
structure
5.
Washing of Polyfi lm regularly.
with silver
2.
3.
polyhouses, paint the
Wind Breakers
paint once
1.
in every
2.
The trees like Casurina, Silver oak, Acacia Mangium can be planted on the periphery of the polyhouse at least 10 meters away from the structure. 3-4 rows should be planted in zig zag manner so that proper screen will be maintained.
two years to avoid rusting.
3.
The care should be taken that the shadow of the plants should not fall on the structure Curtains and Aprons
Polythene damages: Pressing- Use of press to patch up the polythene cuts. 1. UV Plastic tape for small cuts and for larger FLORICULTURE TODAY June 2011
17
Greenhouse v
Curtains of 2 meter height and Aprons of 1.25 to 1.5 m height from ground are must.
v
Aprons should be tightly fixed in soil at least 30 cm below ground by making a trench to avoid damage by flapping. It should be fitted in Aluminum profile and zig zag spring at the top and not by GI wires to avoid early damage.
v
Curtains should be open in the morning when temperature rises and it should be closed according to climate so that average day night temperature is maintained.
General sanitation 1. Greenhouse path- It should be either
concrete or of soil.
2. At the entrance of the greenhouse door, foam wetted by KMNO4 should be kept.
Such patches should be closed by another patch of shade net and stitched properly.
3. It is always beneficial to have double doors system for the polyhouses. 4. Regular weed control should be followed in & around the greenhouse. Maintenance of Irrigation systems on a regular basis Checks in the system A. Daily checks 1. Check whether the water is available enough for irrigation in water tank or source, availability of electricity, at least one sub main ball valve is open. 2.
Check whether Check/Adjust pressure in the system.
B. Weekly checks 1. Check the pressure at the lateral end. It should be 1 Kg/sq cm.
Wheels of the shade net assembly should be greased for smooth operation.
2. Check the discharge of drippers at various places in greenhouse and compare it with the designed discharge. It should be same. Maintenance of the system 1. Flush the laterals every day, sub mains and mains once a week. 2. Clean the screen/disc filter every day after irrigation is over and back wash of sand filter once a week. 3. Cleaning of water tank once in 6 months and change of sand in the sand filter once in 3 years. Chemical Treatment Clogging and plugging of dripper will be due to precipitation and accumulation due to certain dissolved salts like carbonate,
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Floriculture Today June 2011
Clean the disc filter after irrigation every day to avoid clogging of drippers.
Greenhouse Nylon ropes fitted on top plastic in heavy wind region
The polythene in such case should be replaced rather than sticking patches.
bicarbonate, iron, sulphate, manganese and calcium salts. The clogging may also be due to the presence of microorganism, algae, and bacteria. The clogging or plugging is avoided by chemical treatment of water. a)
Acid treatment: HCL or Nitric acid is injected in to drip system at the rate suggested in the water analysis report. The acid treatment is performed till a pH of 4 is achieved at the lateral lines. After achieving a pH of 4 the system is shut for 24 hours.
Next day opening the flush valve and lateral end the next day flushes the system.
b)
Chlorine treatment: In the form of bleaching powder can be used to inhibit the growth of microorganism like algae, bacteria are injected in to drip system for about 30 minutes. The system is shut for 24 hours. Next day opening the flush valve and lateral end flushes the system. n E-mail: Ihitc.jd@gmail.com
Floriculture Today June 2011
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Greenhouse
History of Green House Development
A
lthough Italy is mentioned as the origin of the first ‘green house’ builders, it was about 300 years ago (late 1600s) in France, that the green house concept actually took off as part of a landscaping scheme under the name Orangerie. In the beginning it was a conventional building structure with a normal roof but maximum number of windows and doors. It was used for tropical plants (mainly citrus) especially for over-wintering. Commercial use on a certain scale took off in the mid 1800s, mainly for vegetables and fruits. A typical crop was grapes, which like several other crops was able to grow outside in the North European summer, but in a glass house the season was extended and production started earlier. The early structures were a brick wall on the North side, from which a glass roof top was sloping South wards to catch as much light and warmth as possible. I remember as a boy playing in these wall-green houses in the 50s in Westland (Holland), while 20
Floriculture Today June 2011
the labour did the pruning work or later the thinning of the clusters of grapes. Sometimes the heating was on: simple stoves with a chimney-pipe, in which everything could be burned. Interestingly, on one of my trips to China in the 90s I found green houses built along the same principle around the Jinan region (South East of Beijing). Instead of a brick wall, an earth hill was made of which the South side was cut more or less vertical and from here a roof was sloping down. Sometimes the low side was too low to walk erect. Here as well, early vegetable crops were grown and also roses! By the end 1950s the brick wall had disappeared and the green houses were being built with glass on all sides. First the structure was made out of wood (till the 1960s), then steel (till 1980s) and finally steel and aluminium combinations. In Northern Europe and especially in the Netherlands, a range of cultivations under different kind of cover was
developed from mid/late 1800 onwards. Lettuce, radish, spinach, etc. was seeded early spring under low glass windows, two feet high in the middle and 1 foot at the sides, it could be onesided or double-sided. During sunny days the windows were opened slightly for aeration and temperature control. As soon as the weather conditions became favourable (no more night frosts) the windows were removed and stored. The early production got premium prices. In the 60s and 70s a lot of experimentation was done with small single bay green houses and tunnels in different sizes. When plastic came on the market it made it possible to make the structures very light, wind was the deciding factor for strength. A small number of rolling green houses were built in the 60s. These 500 or more square meter structures were built on rails and were used for early production or temporary crop protection at certain stages, but were rolled over to a neighbouring next cultivation when
Greenhouse the first crop did not require protection anymore. Often 2 or 3 plots of land were cultivated with one green house. Interestingly last month the ‘Nursery Tony’ of Mr. Perry Snabel in Holland started production at a new location. Apart from green houses a shade house and open field the set up includes four rolling green houses! In further developments of the green houses, cost was an important factor, but also light and humidity. It was noted that every 1% extra light gave about 1% higher production. Thinner material for the structure and larger glass panes were used to reduce the shading effect of structure materials. The inclination of the roof was studied and the optimal slope was found, allowing maximum light through and reflecting as little as possible. Catching light was equivalent to catching free warmth, because most of the year temperatures are low in the North. Therefore also isolation became an important factor, especially after the steep increase in oil prices in the early 70s. Cost of heating had to be optimized. Double glassing or lining the green house with thin plastic inside, gave a strong isolation effect, but also resulted in loss of light, due to condense formation between the two layers. The more tightly closed green houses developed however a problem of humidity. Because of the strong increase in cost of energy as well as the relative lack of light in the winter and increasing labour cost, growers in the North of Europe and the USA set up business more South. Italy and Spain for Europe and Florida and California for the USA. In the following years the trend was further South into Africa and Middle and South America. This development took place between the 60s and 70s and continued. In the 90s India and China also became part of this development. From the 70s onwards local entrepreneurs in these countries entered, in collaboration or independently, into the business. Green houses and further equipment was also a requirement for cultivation in these countries, since the criterion is not only temperature. Some Dutch companies developed or adapted green houses for different
Venlo glasshouse
Greenhouse with shadenet
Tunnel
Wall greenhouse used by Charles Darwin for his experiments
In well-operated green houses with hi-tech cultivation management, production will be manifold, product will be homogeneous and operational risk is at a very low level locations in the world. They were followed shortly thereafter by the Israelis, who had developed a green house technology under very different circumstances in their country. French and Spanish companies joined the market. In some locations local entrepreneurs started production and construction of the same type of green houses. The same happened in the Americas, where in Colombia the first huge green houses were built of wood. Nowadays green houses in the Southern and Eastern countries are adapted to regions with certain climate conditions and are not anymore much different from one supplier in one country or another. Why a green house ? We have come a long way from the initial wish to overwinter some plants, to the large scale year round green house production worldwide now. In
many cases the crops we grow are not fully suitable for the natural climate of that location or that period of the year. Therefore we have to adapt the climatic conditions. While this cannot be done in the open, the factors can be controlled to a certain extent in a greenhouse, depending on the available equipment. Technically we are able to grow, say capsicum or roses on the North pole or in the desert. The competitive advantage or dis-advantage will dictate the economic feasibility. Also, in well-operated green houses with hi-tech cultivation management, production will be manifold, product will be homogeneous and operational risk is at a very low level, compared to open field crops. When it comes to investments it is important to bear in mind that many an equipment or tool, as well as the green house itself is worth the investment when operated to the maximum of its Floriculture Today June 2011
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Greenhouse capacity. This operating is not routine, not to fixed timings or at regular intervals, but according to changing conditions. That demands attention and timely action. Automation can partly take care of this, but at a cost and …….green fingers still have their value! In the following part of the article we will have a look at the main criteria of the operation of the green house and the equipment. Greenhouse and climate From the history of green house developments, it is clear that there was a continued trade-off between the four main factors of climate in green house: temperature, light, humidity and ventilation. These factors should be within certain parameters, as stable as possible and distributed equally throughout the green house. Without the enclosure of a green house these parameters cannot be maintained. Ventilation and humidity This rule, the four factors and its implications, was also important when green house technology was taken to more Southern and sunny places. The factors light and isolation lost a bit of importance and hence cheaper green houses could be built. Without heating however, high humidity is an issue in different locations in certain periods of the year, hence ventilation became an important aspect. Heating is prohibitively expensive in plastic green houses with increasing energy prices, hence ventilation is the only realistic way to reduce humidity. Reduction of humidity is very much necessary, not only for growth, but also to control diseases as Botrytis in fruits and flowers and the infamous Downy Mildew in Roses and other crops. Ventilation in the crop is further important for a homogeneous and stable climate. On the contrary, low humidity is easier to control by keeping greenhouse closed and by maintaining a moist soil surface or misting water in the air. Although a balance has to be maintained between the two factors, humidity is often more important than temperature. In the standard fixed-open-top green houses the principle is that the top 22
Floriculture Today June 2011
opening functions as a chimney, based on the fact that cold air flows down, pushing the hot air up out of the top. However, the ventilation based on this principle, is limited. By opening the side vents, extra ventilation is brought in, but the chimney effect is lost because of false draw. The ventilation through side vents has a strong effect on the edges of the green house, but much less in the middle. Therefore it is difficult to achieve a homogeneous climate. This phenomenon of interruption of flows also plays a roll when using circulation fans in the green house, a standard piece of equipment in many countries. In a closed green house even small fans are able to get the total air content moving in one direction. With disturbance on this flow, like open side vents or leakage, this effect is nullified. To allow for sufficient ventilation from the sides the width of the green house should not exceed 35 to 40 meters. It is recommended to install a fixed bottom curtain of not more than 2 or 3 feet high. The open part from this level to gutter height is taken care of by the curtain that can be rolled up or down. The option to close the top temporarily may be useful in the colder periods of the year. Note: Top openings are always towards the lee-side (most of the year wind direction is from a certain direction), but the last opening is opposite. Although the logic of pushing the wind over the top when blowing from the opposite direction is accepted, but most of the year wind is blowing in this opening. This causes problems with powdery
mildew, spider mite and generally a lower humidity. This ‘contrary’ top should at the least have a sheet which can be opened or closed. Covering the side curtains with insect net is obviously helpful by keeping pests out, especially spider mite. However, under the extreme condition that the attack is not controlled and gets out of hand, it is better to roll up the insect net and nature will help to certain extent to bring in some balance in the insect population. Insect net has however the disadvantage of blocking air flow, hence lower ventilation. During monsoon it is an option to roll up the insect net, since ventilation is highly necessary and insect population is low. Frequently shadenet is used instead of insectnet on the sides of the greenhouses here in the country. While it does not stop pests, it does block the ventilation. Better open sides than with shade net. At the height of the tops there is not much incidence of insects, hence it is better kept open than closed with insect net or shadenet. Temperature and light In India we have in general good light conditions, but have to realize that it is between too much and too less. Direct sunlight in the green house causes accumulation of warmth. Limiting direct sunlight reduces the radiation and hence the temperature. This can be done by shade net or white washing of the top. The shading effect is not desired in mornings and evenings as well as periods of clouds and fog. Then the shade net should be folded to allow maximum light to come in. Proper management of opening and closing nets is important to get maximum advantage out of the investment in shade net. There is a choice of shade nets with different characteristics and qualities. It is recommended to purchase quality material (properly UV treated) because of its extended life-span. Different types of plastics are manufactured with characteristics such as increase of isolation effect (thermic), spreading radiation instead of allowing direct sunrays (diffused) and a feature to have condense water running off
Greenhouse instead of dripping on the crop (antidrip). When sulphur evaporators are used it is recommended to use plastic with anti-sulphur-degradation, to extend the life of the plastic (sulphur resistant). Plastic (ensure the UV resistance and the grade of it) may last up to 3 or 4 years under normal conditions. Sometimes strong wind may cause ruptures. Proper installation of plastic is a must; good quality grippers have to be used. Plastics with new features continue to be brought into the market regularly. In India, Israel is well represented with a large choice of covering materials. There are other covering materials as glass, carbonate sheets and plastic sheets. An important characteristic is the transparency after a few years. Pad‘n Fan System Climate control can be improved by use of pad ‘n fan system, where the air is pulled through the wet pad by exhaust fans on the other side of the green house. The evaporation of the droplets in the air cools the green house. This system works
very well with an outside humidity of less than 40%. When outside humidity rises to 70% or more the system does not cool efficiently anymore because of lack of evaporation. The strong flow created by the extract fans is an effective humidity reducing measure, when the pads are kept dry. The tops need to be closed when running the system. For energy efficiency the green houses need to be more isolated. These high tech green houses are often found in the desert climates of the Arabian Peninsula. Greenhouse Dimensions Crops can be covered in many different ways. The simplest way is a layer of thin plastic over the soil after seeding, for early emergence and first growth. This is used in cold climate for somewhat earlier production and better succeeding rates in germination. When the plants push against the plastic, the layer is removed. For a
longer cultivation period, low tunnels are used temporarily. A row of metal or plastic tubes are bent in a bow or arch and plastic is stretched over this. These tunnels may be (semi) permanent and high enough to walk in. The larger ones have the advantage over green houses that no gutters are required which reduces the cost price significantly. Space per unit is limited. Land use with tunnels is less efficient because of necessary space between the tunnels. Ingenuity is demonstrated with the sheer endless variety of structures and coverings around the KunMing (China) region. Green houses can be built over almost any land extension, hectares under a single roof. Corridors between green houses is better 5 than 3 meter. High green houses of say more than 4 meter under the gutter, have a large air volume. High green houses with a large air volume have a more stable climate than a lower green house. n Source: Bangalore Plants First
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Green House Industry — V. Ponnuswami*, K. Padmadevi** and S.P. Thamaraiselvi**
G
reenhouse is an artificially heated protected structure, covered with a transparent material for the purpose of admitting natural light for plant growth. The structure is sufficiently high to permit a person to work from within. The European definition of the term glass-house refers to a structure that receives little or no artificial heat. Green house permit crop production in areas where winter is severe and extremely cold as in Canada and USSR, and also permit production even in areas where summer is extremely intolerable as in Israel, UAE, and Kuwait. It 24
Floriculture Today June 2011
is possible to grow crops despite excessive rains as in Philippines and also in moderate climates like India. Greenhouse makes it possible to cultivate crop in all types of climatic conditions. Greenhouses can be constructed with glass (life span – 15 years) or polythene/shade nets (life span – 3-4 years) with control over temperature, CO2, humidity and sunlight. The probable origin of greenhouse industry dates back to the year 1600 in Holland. The Netherlands is the world’s leading city engaged in commercial greenhouse production of cut flowers and
vegetables. The cut blooms from Netherlands graced the palaces of seventeenth-century royalty in Great Britain, France, Germany and other countries. Even grapes are grown as early season crop under glass structures in Western Holland. The American greenhouse industry started during the late 1700’s near the population centers of Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. The Society of American Florists (SAF) is the national trade organization for floriculture industry and has divisions for producers, retail marketers and wholesale marketers.
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Greenhouse Unlike the European and American countries, the Indian greenhouse industry has gained momentum only during the past two decades. The industry was introduced as a potential export oriented venture, mainly due to the liberalization policies of the Union Government during 1990 and 1991. The new policy regime became popular as the New Economic Policy (NEP) aimed at reducing import restrictions on capital goods including infrastructure and buildings such as greenhouse structures. The government also favored liberalizing imports of exotic planting materials and offering special incentives to encourage export oriented production of commercial horticultural crops. These policies paved the way for the recent rapid growth of the greenhouse industry in India. At present Greenhouse cut flower industry in India has a profitable stand with more than 150 commercial units engaged in the production of cut flowers and some vegetables under Low cost greenhouses. In India, Greenhouses are being built for commercial floriculture ventures as in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states to meet the demands of both domestic and export markets. In places like Ladakh and North-Eastern states greenhouse cultivation of vegetables is done both for extending the season and for off-season production. Also greenhouses are used as propagation structures for raising the seedlings of vegetables and flowers and for difficult-to-root tree species. Seedlings raised in greenhouses are of good quality with uniformity in size and age. Global Scenario of Greenhouse Industry With 89,000 ha under greenhouse the Netherlands is the most advanced in the world. They are the traditional exporters of greenhouse grown flowers and vegetables to all over the world. Dutch greenhouses are glass framed greenhouses to withstand the harsh cloudy weather prevalent all the year round. The area under greenhouses in Spain is estimated to be around 25,000 ha and Italy 18,500 ha used mostly for growing vegetable crops like watermelon, capsicum, strawberries, beans, cucumbers and tomatoes. Israel is the largest exporter of cut flowers and has wide range of crops under greenhouses (15,000 ha) and Turkey has an area of 10,000 ha under cover for cultivation of cut flowers and vegetables.
Among the Asian countries, China and Japan have the largest area under greenhouses. China has gone through fastest development of greenhouse technology than any other country Among the Asian countries, China and Japan have the largest area under greenhouses. China has gone through a fastest development of greenhouse technology than any other country in the world. With a meagre area under greenhouse during the late seventies, the area under greenhouses in China has increased to 48,000 ha recently. Fruits like grapes, cherry, japanese persimon, fig, loquot, lemon and mango are grown in an area of 11,000 ha. China greenhouses are mostly unheated and constructed with the local materials for the frame, flexible plastic films for glazing and straw mats to improve the heat retention characteristics. Japan has more than 40,000 ha under greenhouse cultivation of which fruits are cultivated in an area of 7500 ha. Greenhouses in Japan are used to grow wide range of vegetables and flowers with a considerable share of vegetable demand being met from greenhouse production. South Korea has more than 21,000 ha under greenhouses for production of flowers and fruits. Egypt has about 1000 ha greenhouses consisting mainly of plastic covered tunnel type structures. Arrangements for natural ventilation are made for regulation of temperature and humidity conditions. The main crops grown in these greenhouses are tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, melons and nursery plant material. United States of America
has a total area of about 4000 ha under greenhouses mostly used for floriculture. In India the area under cultivation of different flowers is 103,000 ha. About 99 per cent of the flowers are cultivated in open condition and only 1 per cent under greenhouse condition. Greenhouse Floriculture industry The cut-flower industry plays a major role in the development of greenhouse industry in world. The Floriculture industry itself accounts for an annual growth potential of 25 to 30 per cent which is 25 to 30 times more than that of cereals or any other agricultural produce. Holland holds the major share of 67 per cent of World floriculture Industry. International demand of cut flowers in India peaks during winter months and countries like Columbia, Israel, Kenya and Italy are the emerging competitors for the Indian floriculture industry even though not recognized as a major industry. Floriculture in India was given a priority status owing to the export demand of cut flowers. Cut roses account for 19 percent of the international cut flower trade. In order to meet the international standards, Indian floriculture industry needed focus on special greenhouse structures for the production of cut flowers. As protected cultivation is not a common practice in India, the greenhouse designs and structures have been imported from countries like Holland, Israel, France, and the United States. Due to prevailing mild climate in some of the Indian cities like Pune and Bangalore, Indian growers needed only simple poly-covered structures to facilitate protected cultivation of cut flowers. There has been an impressive growth in the export of cut flowers to Rs. 700 crores during the past decade. India’s export of Floriculture has been increased from Rs. 340.14 Crores in 2007-08 to Rs. 368.81 Crores in 2008-09, the major export destinations being USA, Netherland, UK, Germany, Japan. India accounts for 0.65% of the $11 billion global flower trade. The Indian floriculture industry is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25 per cent over the past decade. Majority of the floriculture units are located in the Southern states mainly, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and TamilNadu. Also large areas under floriculture exist in West Bengal, Floriculture Today June 2011
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Greenhouse Maharashtra, Rajasthan. Though more than 191 export-oriented units (EOUs) have been approved in the sector only 70 units are operational. In order to increase total share in the floriculture world trade, technical collaborations of Indian companies with their foreign counterpart have been approved by the GOI. The major flowers grown under greenhouse are, Rose,
Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Anthurium, Gerbera, Liliums and Orchids. Though the area under flowers have crossed 1 lakh hectare, there is a meager share of 1 % under greenhouse production. The major setbacks faced by the greenhouse floriculture in India are, lack of technical know-how for large areas under greenhouses, dependence
on foreign collaborations for construction and maintenance, non-availability of quality planting materials, phyto sanitary certification procedures to be followed and huge amount paid as royalty for the imported varieties of cut flowers. Greenhouse floriculture named as hi-tech floriculture in India requires hand to hand support from both greenhouse growers and the government. The state-of-theart technology imported from abroad for greenhouse floriculture needs substantial amendment with respect to the design of greenhouse to achieve cost effective production and be competitive in the global market. Greenhouse vegetable industry The main consideration while choosing the vegetables to be grown inside the limited and expensive space of the polyhouse is the most efficient and economical utilization of space for the longest period possible. Therefore, low volume - high value crops may be the most profitable to grow in the environmentally-controlled polyhouse. It is also feasible to grow off-season vegetables under moderate climatic conditions by extending the cropping season. Most of the sensitive vegetables can also be grown under polyhouse as low cost greenhouse production. Though vegetable production is done on a large extent in other countries like the Netherlands, South Korea, China and Japan, in India some of the highvalue and thermosensitive vegetables are cucumber, tomato, pepper, celery, lettuce, beans, chilli, broccoli, brussels sprout, cabbage, okra and turnip are suited for growing under greenhouses. Future Strategies of Greenhouse Industry v Domestic market facilities and price for the greenhouse produce to be improved v New varieties suited for greenhouse production need to be bred v Developing low cost greenhouse technologies to suit the local conditions v A net work public private partnership support system from government, universities and the private sector n [*Dean (Horticulture), **Assistant Professor (Horticulture), Horticultural College and Research Institute, Periyakulam]
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Floriculture Today June 2011
Floriculture Today June 2011
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Greenhouse
Greenhouse Structure
How it has changed over the years — Abhishek Agarwal
T
he construction of greenhouses has been revolutionized by the advent of modern plastics. A range of possibilities are available that would have been unknown in the past. Greenhouses were once made of wood and glass and even cast iron and glass. 28
Floriculture Today June 2011
These materials represented a dramatic technological development in their time. Now these traditional materials are a rarity. They are preserved in the grounds of stately homes and classic botanical gardens. The arrival of aluminum made greenhouses available to a wider market
after World War Two. They were still glazed with glass and comparatively expensive. But the demand for the hobby greenhouse had begun. While high quality hobby greenhouses are often made of quality timber such as redwood the most common type of greenhouse structure for the amateur is made of aluminum. A timber frame will always look better. The aesthetics of the aluminum structure reveal its origins in commercial horticulture. To many people they are unappealing, if functional. Commercial greenhouses are still often based on aluminum structures, but the glazing material has changed. Greenhouses are usually glazed with twin wall polycarbonate these days. This material has the advantage that is is cheaper than glass and does not shatter. It also provides better thermal insulation than glass. The air trapped between the two walls keeps warmth from escaping into the outside
Greenhouse environment. Even the frame of a greenhouse may be made of plastic. The potential of UPVC, a rigid plastic material that is resistant to ultraviolet radiation, was first recognised in the construction industry. It is employed for doors and double glazed windows. The same system has now spread to greenhouses. Standard units of double glazing, or made to measure panels, are made in a factory and brought to the site where they can be bolted together. The use of new materials has allowed new designs of greenhouse structure to be explored. A greenhouse used to be a rectangular structure often with a pitched roof. This was a practical design and is still widely used. But the dome shaped greenhouse has become increasingly popular. Often called a solar dome, this type of structure makes the most use of light. Dome shaped greenhouses were constructed out of cast iron in the nineteenth century. They were a great luxury. They were often used as palm houses. Surviving examples are spectacular and rare structures.
Aluminum allowed dome shaped greenhouse to be mass produced for the first time. The same shape can now be found in redwood frames too. Greenhouses of this type are often used as sun rooms and to cover pools in cold climates. On a vast scale the same concept of a dome shape has been for the famous Eden Project biomes in Britain. The framework of these structures is made of steel. Three giant dome shaped greenhouses cover a reclaimed china clay pit and provide a series of environments that reflect the diversity of the planet. No less visually spectacular, in its own way, is the humble polytunnel. This is a greenhouse structure made of a plastic sheeting stretched over a steel framework. Greenhouses of this type are widely used commercially. There are so many of them in Southern Spain that they can be seen from space. Satellite pictures show large areas of the region carpeted with polytunnels. Their commercial uses are obvious but they the polytunnel can also be used in the same way as the more spectacular greenhouses of the Eden Project. The Alternative Technology Centre in Wales
has a polytunnel planted with a range of tropical plants. A small water feature provides humidity for the plants. The whole effect is of a peaceful and lush tropical environment. At a simpler level the use of plastics has created the possibility of a greater range of temporary structures than was possible in the past. It is possible to build. or buy ready made, a vast range of temporary plastic greenhouses that will fit into the smallest space. Even people who have only a balcony or terrace can now have a greenhouse. Now that the greenhouse is no longer confined to the simpler rectangular structure it is possible to adapt them all types of space. Modern plastic materials can be cut, bent and stretched in ways that would have been impossible with glass. The change in greenhouse structure and the availability of new materials has made the greenhouse more accessible than ever before. n (Abhishek is passionate about greenhouse gardening. He has penned a book called “Greenhouse Maintenance�)
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Greenhouse Today small & marginal farmers contribute nearly 42% of marketable surplus. Greenhouse can provide answers for round the year cultivation under climatic un certainties as well as price fluctuations. Greenhouse technology is an agro-system that presents important productive advantages in comparison to open-air cultivation. Greenhouse protects crops from extreme climatic factors temperature, high winds, heavy rains, storms, insects and diseases. It maximizes the productivity per unit area with genetic potentiality of the crop being fully exploited. Off-season vegetables can be grown, which fetch’ high prices in the market. Greenhouse has been used in raising healthy nurseries & quality planting materials. Greenhouse technology is highly relevant under Indian conditions due to variant agro-climatic conditions of the country. Advantages
Indian Green House Industry — Gian Aggarwal, MD Rajdeep Agri Products Pvt Ltd, New Delhi
Provides favorable micro climatic conditions for the plants Cultivations in all seasons is possible. Higher yield with better quality per unit area. Conserves moisture thus needs less irrigation. More suitable for cultivating high value/off-season crops. Helps to control pest and diseases. Helps in raising early nurseries. Round the year propagation of planting material is possible. Protects the crops from wind, rain, snow, bird, hail etc. Generates self-employment opportunities for educated youth. Potentialities of greenhouse technology:
T
HE Greenhouse Technology is an appropriate intervention for crop production, particularly in hostile climatic conditions. It has the potential to give manifold production of quality produce round the year from small land holdings compared to the open field cultivation. A greenhouse works on the principle that crop production is Gian Aggarwal infl uenced not only by heredity but also by the micro-climate around the plant. To overcome the vagaries of nature, over two hundred years ago, the scientists had evolved a technique, which could escape the vagaries of the nature to a great extent. This technique is known as green house technology. Until a few decades back, the Green House technology remained architectonics of some of the advanced’ western countries, which made their farmers rich and prosper. This concept for commercial production of fl owers and vegetables was introduced in 90’s in India. There are many green house manufacturers in India making this technology indigenously or importing green house fi lm and accessories from overseas markets. But there are some issues related to adoption of technology in Indian conditions, different climatic zones, state policies, lack of knowledge among horticulture farmers and investment. 30
FLORICULTURE TODAY June 2011
Cultivation is possible under extreme climatic conditions. Export of hybrid seeds, ornamentals plants and tissue culture plants. Suitable for biotechnology and genetic engineering. Cultivation of rate and exotic medicinal, aromatic and ornamental species. Production of high value, low volume horticultural crops. Supply of high quality fresh fruits/vegetables and flowers for cities. Production of healthy planting material.
The choice of crops to be raised in a greenhouse depends on the size of the structure and economics of crop production. The cut flowers, which are being exported from India, are from these hi tech floriculture units. Protected cultivation, although is in limited area (5% of total flower crop area) its contribution to total floricultural exports is significant. At present, there are about 110 export oriented floricultural units (EOU’s) in operation covering an area of 500 ha. These units are growing mostly roses, tomato and capsicum but can be diversified into orchids, anthurium, other vegetables and plant -material/seedling production of fruits, vegetables and floriculture grown organic as the demand is increasing worldwide. India has several advantages and great potential to increase the acreage under intensive production and ultimately to increase the t10ricultural exports provided the units should be opened in ideal locations with sound technological back up.
Greenhouse
Rajdeep Agri Products Pvt. Ltd. Profi le
RAJDEEPAgri Products Pvt. Ltd. is the leader in the Indian sub-continent in designing, fabricating engineering and constructing green houses at par with the international standards for all seasonal as well as off season crops, having constructed more than 15000 green houses since 1980 in different climatic zones in India as well as in the neighboring countries, like Nepal, Bangladesh & Bhutan. Rajdeep specializes in turnkey projects including feasibility surveys, structural choice, fabrication & installation of green house equipments. We advise on irrigation, fertilization & climate control systems, providing training, growing methology ete. Our range of individual models are designed for specific climates & crops. We also custom sign green houses and upgrade existing structures. Premier organizations such as ICAR institutes, Agricultural Universities, Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO), CSIR Laboratories, Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) and some well-known organizations in the private sector & multinationals prefer Rajdeep Green Houses. Rajdeep Green Houses are based on more than 32 years of hands on practical experience and extensive know-how which exhibits the strength of the company’s system and quality that perhaps Rajdeep is the only company in India in the field of Green Houses which has been awarded ISO 9001 :2008 certification. Our Quality Policy We, the family of Rajdeep are commited to manufacture & supply the quality green houses by controlling process/(es) at every stage, maintaining commited delivery schedule and achieving customer satisfaction through continual improvement of our quality management system.
The world economic scenario is changing very rapidly infl uencing the international trade. Consumer perception is changing and marketing has become consumer-driven, which demands quality produce, cheaper price, better assortments, range of products and senesces. Traditional market is getting saturated with increase in expendable income in non-traditional area and new markets are emerging. The challenges, therefore, is to widen the market base and capture the new emerging market for commercial production of fl owers and vegetables. India had vast potential to emerge as a major player in the flower export market, which is estimated at $ 11 billion at present and expected to grow up to $ 20 billion by 2020. The flower trade of the country is accounted for just 0.2 per cent of world flower exports. Though many states in the country had the conducive weather for production of quality floriculture material, they lagged behind in flower exports due to various bottlenecks being faced by growers and exporters including protected infrastructures. There is an urgent need to showcase India as a reliable supplier of quality floriculture products. Looking at the advantages of greenhouse technology, the Government of India has been providing fi nancial assistance for adoption of Naturally Ventilated Greenhouse and Greenhouse with Fan and Pad Cooling system (Forced Ventilated Greenhouse) under the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) and Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEHS) - centrally sponsored schemes for holistic development of horticulture in the country. The pattern of assistance is 50% of the cost limited to an area of 4000 sqm per beneficiary.
FLORICULTURE TODAY June 2011
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Interview
“We cannot adopt one fixed structure everywhere” “The green house industry is completing its 20 years in India, but still people have lack of awareness about the green houses and most of the people do not know what to grow and how to work in green houses,” feels Parvinder Singh, Managing Director of Blue Stallion Equipments (P) Ltd, a Ludhianabased green house manufacturer. He was talking to Naveen Grover of Floriculture Today. “While adopting any technology, we must take care of our local conditions . . . It does not matter whether the technology is indigenous or imported,” says Singh. He is appreciative of the schemes provided by NHM, NHB and State Government Horticulture Departments but feels there must be timely reforms of these schemes as per farm requirements. Excerpts from the interview: In last Flora Expo, many of the fl ower growers, visiting the expo for the fi rst time from various parts of the country, had a common query about the availability of consultation, green house construction, availability of good planting material, etc. What do you feel about Indian greenhouse industry which is completing its 20 years? Yes, I understand that the green house industry is completing its 20 32
FLORICULTURE TODAY June 2011
Parvinder Singh
years in India, but still people have lack of awareness about the green houses and most of the people do not know what to grow and how to work in green houses. The common query from most of the people about green house technology is how it works and what its production viability is. Many of regional workshops on fl oriculture organised by State Horticulture Departments and individual companies are still receiving active participation of fl oriculture entrepreneurs or potential growers. But the technologies available are not easy to adopt or have viability problem. Can you give your suggestion to sustain growers’ confi dence? Horticulture departments, universities and many other organizations are organizing workshops on green houses, protective farming, floriculture, vegetable production, etc. and potential farmers and fl oriculture entrepreneurs actively participate in the same. But due to high cost involvement and lack of knowledge about viability, farmers are always scared of taking necessary steps to adopt this new technology. So what I think is departments must encourage the farmers to adopt small sized green houses to grow seedlings, which later on they can transplant in the open fields and after achieving success they may adopt bigger green houses for production purpose.
Interview As we have different climatic zones, do you agree to have a national study on greenhouse structure, designs, its suitability for different crops in different climatic conditions. What are your views on in this regard? Any particular type of green house structure cannot be viable for the entire country as India has varied climatic zones and topographies. Thus, we cannot adopt one fixed structure everywhere. And here I strongly recommend to conduct a national-level study on green house structure designs and their suitability for various climatic conditions. Indigenous versus imported technology is another debate going on for quite a long time. Being a technocrat, do you feel we should depend fully on domestic market or the imported one? While adopting any technology, we must take care of our local conditions and doing this will be much more beneficial for the economy of our country as it would help produce the products locally. It does not matter whether the technology is indigenous or imported. Cost-effectiveness and viability of a project is the key for the success of floriculture growers. Can you suggest some solution for the industry which will require financial support from government and technical expertise from persons like you? Government is already doing its best by providing various subsidies and promotional schemes for the agriculturists but on the other hand, in finance related schemes, banks are charging more interest rate. Hence, bank loans should also be subsidized to
encourage growers to go for new technologies. In your view, what is the size of greenhouse industry in India along with the ratio of growing crops—flowers vs. vegetables? India is definitely a potential market for green house technology due to huge local consumption of vegetables and flowers. Therefore, there is a huge scope for green house trade in India and I think it’s a more than Rs. 200-crore market. Tell us about the current status of your company. How do you plan for further development? Is there any foreign tie-up plan in the pipeline or what kind of new product range you are offering to growers? We are doing our best in all over India, especially in north and north east regions with installation of green houses every month, covering an average area of 8000 to 10000 sq meters. We are working on latest low-cost green house automation & climate control techniques. These low-cost but strong green house designs are increasing our production as well to achieve new horizons. Give us your frank views on the schemes of NHM, NHB, State horticulture departments and other agencies working for the holistic growth of horticulture sector? The schemes provided by NHM, NHB and State Government Horticulture Departments are really wonderful but there must be timely reforms as per farm requirements to increase productivity as well as market for various crops.
Floriculture Today June 2011
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Interview
Greenhouse cultivation
Ten-fold increase in productivity In India, the area under protected cultivation is mainly for floriculture crops like roses, gerbera and carnation, but horticulture crops like colored capsicum, cherry tomato and gherkin accounts for only 0.4 % of total production, says Dhirajlal Hirpara, CMD of Champion Agro Limited in an interview with Floriculture Today. Noting that while the total Estimated World Greenhouse Vegetable Production Area 402,981 hectares (995,501 acres), India contributes only about 1% of it, he says “India has to take a big leap forward to become one of the leading contributors. Need of the hour is to grow awareness among growers that greenhouse cultivation offers 10 times higher productivity than in open-air cultivation.� In this interview he speaks on various aspects of greenhouse. Excerpts: In last Flora Expo, many of the flower growers, visiting the expo for the first time from various parts of the country, had a common query about the availability of consultation, green house construction, availability of good planting material etc. What do you feel about Indian greenhouse industry which is completing its 20 years? Greenhouse technology has been considered as the core part of precision farming and has a tremendous role to play in Indian horticulture by increasing the availability of fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers and thereby leading to better nutrition and improved standard of living. If we look back the growth of greenhouses in India from 1991 to present it has grown more than 75% which is very promising, but still we are lagging at global front due to some reasons like: 34
Floriculture Today June 2011
v Lack of awareness among farmers/growers regarding protected cultivation mainly due to their traditional approach to farming v Fear of adapting new technologies of farming due to a fear of failure v Lack of interest due to high cost and unawareness about Govt. subsidy While the total Estimated World Greenhouse Vegetable Production Area 402,981 hectares (995,501 acres), India contributes only about 1% of it. So India has to take a big leap forward to become one of the leading contributors. Need of the hour is to grow awareness among growers that greenhouse cultivation offers 10 times higher productivity than in open-air cultivation. India enjoys a strategic location advantage of being close to the important international markets in Europe. Many of regional workshops on floriculture organized by State Horticulture Depts. and individual companies are still receiving active participation of floriculture entrepreneurs or potential
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Interview
growers. But the technologies available are not easy to adopt or have viability problem. Can you give your suggestion to sustain growers’ confidence? A grower need to understand the basic technicality before installing greenhouse as protected cultivation is not a common practice in India, and the greenhouse designs and structures have been imported from countries like Holland, Israel, France, and the United States. Thus the Indian patron find it difficult to understand the basic trifle. Govt. in collaboration with public private companies from India and abroad should conduct training, seminars, extension services and on-field training time to time to dissipate desired set of acquaintance like the knowledge about the agronomic services, planting material, feasibility of greenhouses depending upon the climate of the particular zone. The primary aim of every grower is to achieve cost effective production and be competitive in global trade as it will help not only the grower but to the India as whole. To gain grower’s confidence companies should come forward to provide forward linkages to growers for making it a profitable business apart from providing International standard inputs and other technical services. As we have different climatic zones, do you agree to have a national study on greenhouse structure, designs, its suitability for different crops in different climatic conditions. What are your views on in this regard? Rightly said, India is known for its diverse climatic conditions so the greenhouse and the supporting facilities have to be developed accordingly. Design of the greenhouse should vary as per the local agro climatic conditions keeping in view the economic constraints. The southern plateau and the coastal regions need naturally ventilated poly houses and the northern plains with composite climate require both cooling and heating facilities. The initial cost of the greenhouse generally depends upon the cost of the structure, cladding and the temperature control mechanism and where as the operational cost relies mainly upon the maintenance of temperature and humidity in the greenhouse. Indigenous versus imported technology is another debate going on for quite a long time. Being a technocrat, do you feel we should depend fully on domestic market or the imported one? As the technologies available are not easy to adopt or have viable problems, one can promote a combination of indigenous technology for the structure, designs, and some sort of automation technology
can be imported including quality planting material, as these countries already have a decade experience and have invested huge amount in R&D. Keeping in view the profile of Indian customer there is a need to develop cost effective structure. Cost-effectiveness and viability of a project is the key for the success of floriculture growers. Can you suggest some solution for the industry which will require financial support from government and technical expertise from persons like you? The process for availing government subsidy and credit facility from bank should be a hassle free and less time consuming. There is a strong urge of a platform where government and private sector come together and provide a single window system for the growers. Indian Industry should manufacture quality material meeting international standards to meet the requirements at a reasonable price. The lack of qualified trained and skilled human resource continues to constrain the sector and this anomaly needs to be addressed. There are several subsidies from Central as well as State Govt. under protected cultivation and any grower/farmer can avail the benefit of the scheme. Champion Agro Ltd in collaboration with Top green solutions Pvt. ltd brings the floriculturists, farmers and growers turnkey agriculture projects for protective cultivation. Tell us about the current status of your company. How do you plan for further development? Is there any foreign tie-up plan in Floriculture Today June 2011
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Interview
the pipeline or what kind of new product range you are offering to growers? Champion Agro Ltd., an agri retail company dealing in varied agriculture areas. We have our 35 Champion agro world centre, (Agri retail centres) which is a “ONE STOP SOLUTION with front and back end integration” for all agriculture needs across Gujarat state. The company has tied up with Israel based Top Green House Ltd., one of the leading greenhouse solutions providing company, for the sale of greenhouse and related technology in India. Top Green House Ltd is known for providing a wide range of turnkey agriculture projects and solutions for growers, retail chains and investors around the globe. Company has invested a great deal of thought and planning into each project to ensure it delivers maximum yield both agriculturally and economically. The company has already started its greenhouses in Gujarat and will expand in other states like HP, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. The company provides single window solution to farmers towards establishment of greenhouse projects-right from excising projects from financing institutions, sponsorship agencies,
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implementation, erection of projects to further handling and marketing of end produce i.e. with buy back arrangements. In your view, what is the size of greenhouse industry in India along with the ratio of growing crops—flowers vs. vegetables? In India, the area under protected cultivation is mainly for floriculture crops like roses, gerbera and carnation which have a huge demand in Indian as well as international market. Horticulture crops like colored capsicum, cherry tomato and gherkin accounts for only 0.4 % of total production. Give us your frank views on the schemes of NHM, NHB, State horticulture departments and other agencies working for the holistic growth of horticulture sector? India’s central bodies are promoting the notion of greenhouse cultivation through a range of subsidies by this the farmers and other growers can take advantage of the schemes and can build up their own greenhouse. The development of horticulture in the country is mainly through developmental programmes of the department of agriculture and cooperation. The schemes under implementation include NHM, TMNE, NHB and CIH. It will not only lead India towards prosperity but will also solve several issues like unemployment, climate change mitigation (Global Warming), off season production, water efficiency, salinity ingress, managing post harvest losses and several others. The government hopes to achieve a four-fold increase in production of cash crops through the project. The National Horticulture Mission provides different subsidies for different states for activities like green house construction, mulching, shade net and plastic tunnels. There is also a strong need for single window system where a grower can avail the benefit of subsidies from Central and State governments and technical expertise from the solution providers having vast knowledge of the desired field. For holistic growth there is a call for bridging the yawning gap between actual and attainable yield for boosting the country’s food output. While at the same time striving for better and feasible technology in the absence of which agriculture may attract the blame for lapse on the food security front. n
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Views
Greenhouse technology in India
Issues and Challenges
— Pradeep Pankaj, Director
I
t has long been established that undertaking protected cultivation of vegetables and flowers improves yields and raises standard of living of the farmers. Greenhouse/poly house cultivation is particularly important in present scenario of climate change adaptation and mitigation vis-à-vis agriculture or food production. As per a published research paper, there is about 100 – 300% increase in production of vegetables in greenhouse as against cultivation in open fields. Despite the advantages and growth being witnessed, the greenhouse industry needs to take into account certain issues that when addressed may further raise the profile of the industry and, more importantly, transfer the benefits to the end user of the technology, i.e. farmer. Ozone Biotech Pvt. Ltd. and its members have long been in the greenhouse market. The company is backed by a group of national and international experts in the domains of Agriculture Engineering, Horticulture, Agronomy and has undertaken projects all over India. Following are the issues and challenges of the Indian greenhouse industry that the company would like to list 38
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Low degree of awareness among Indian farmers Indian farming community at large is yet to be communicated the potential benefits of polyhouse cultivation. Success stories that lead to replication are still missing. It is seen that farmers of progressive state like Punjab, too have limited knowledge of floriculture and raising vegetable nurseries. There is a major role of extension services that has to look after the aspects of dissemination on greenhouse cultivation. There also isn’t much data available that clearly indicates return on investment (ROI) in greenhouse cultivation. A validated figure on production improvement for major crops has to be developed by a public nodal agency and disseminated. National Committee on Plasticulture Applications in Horticulture (NCPAH), for instance, should take a lead role in this. The data would be of immense help to propagate greenhouse technology among farmers. Lack of standards for design and materials Most of the companies active in the Indian greenhouse market have been following conventional designs that basically originated in west. Indian market
is yet to establish standards of design and materials that are according to the climate and weather conditions prevalent in India. There is also an essential need for R&D that establishes crop-wise design of structures. Unorganized scenario There exists an overall un-organized scenario when one views the greenhouse industry as a whole. There is no materials manufacturers’ database, no organized marketing platforms, no market reviews and analyses, staggered availability of different components, etc. Coordination between agencies/ stakeholders For a planned and focused approach towards improving greenhouse/polyhouse farming in the country, there has to be a coordination among agencies of the government and among government and industry. National Committee on Plasticulture Applications in Horticulture (NCPAH) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) should, along with manufacturers/companies, coordinate on aspects of standardizing materials, costing, implementation, etc. It is invariably seen that prices fixed under NHM are based on old market rates of the materials. This keeps away many companies to participate, resulting in low quality structures and if not, unused funds of the government. Comparison with west It is to be understood that hi-tech greenhouse cultivation has a different meaning in India than that of in Israel or Holland. India, being a country with 26 agro-ecological zones and low investment capabilities, has to device its own techniques of making structures and popularising polyhouse culture. It might be the case that adopting greenhouse cultivation may not at all be feasible economical as well as environmental. There has to be customizations at regional and local levels, as is done with soil and crop management techniques. Web: www.ozonebiotech.in
Profile
Tuflex India
“Parry Enterprises India Ltd., Tuflex India Division, 702/704, G.I.D.C, Palej-Dist Bharuch, Gujarat 390220”. Tel: 02642– 277663/277664, Fax: 91-265-2339352. E-mail: ho@tuflex.net Site: www.polymernets.com
T
uflex India (Formerly Netlon India) are pioneers and world leaders in the field of polymer nets and knitted fabrics. The manufacturing set up of Tuflex India, a division of Parry Enterprises India Ltd., was started in the year 1985 in Palej (District Bharuch). Our Head office is located at Vadodara and we have branches in all metro cities in India. Tuflex India is an ISO 9001:2000 organisation, with a turn over of Rs. 17051 Crores (USD 3.8 billion). In the year 1985, we set up our first manufacturing facility for extruded polymer nets under the brand name NETLON. These products find various applications in the field of Mosquito proofing in households, garden fencing, packaging, sericulture and other industrial and household applications. In the year 1996, we started the production of knitted fabrics using high end German knitting machines under the brand name RAKSHAK. These products find ready application in the field of floriculture household shading, hail protection, grape shading etc. Today TUFLEX INDIA has multiple extrusion facilities to manufacture the widest range of extruded polymer nets. Our products are distributed through more than 200 stockists and 5000 retailers across the country. TUFLEX INDIA has a reputation in the market for its excellent product quality and customer service. Consequently we are the leaders in both extruded polymer nets as well as knitted fabrics. BRANCH Some of our major brands are:RADIUM Designer Screens: We sell our unique designer screens which not only provide freedom from mosquitoes in the households but also look very elegant due to attractive designs and patterns printed on the screen. NOVA Curtains and NETLON Insect Screens: These are standard products used for mosquito protection in the household and are extremely popular in the market. RAKSHAK Knitted Fabrics: These are knitted fabrics in green and other colours made out of HDPE and find application in all kinds of shading. People use this product for floriculture, vegetable cultivation, nursery shading and even household shading.
AN ISO 9001 2000 ORGANISATION
TUFLEX Instacool: These are highly innovative product introduced by us for the first time in India. These are targeted at various households and offices to provide protection from the vagaries of nature, viz. extreme sunlight, heat, heavy rain and winds. The product comes in beautiful colour combinations and is very easy to install. This product is fast replacing the traditional chik and other age-old methods of shading and weather control. NETRIKA: This is the brand we offer to the sericulture market. Netrika is the well known name in the various departments of sericulture for its excellent results in rearing of silk worms. TUFLEX Garden Fencing: A range of products are offered under this brand such as, Perimeter Fencing, Chain Link Fencing and Square Meshes. All these products find application in the field of garden and landscaping. TUFLEX Packaging Nets: These products are primarily used for packing of vegetables, fruits and toys. Tuflex Protective Sleeves are used for packing of metallic and other industrial components in a big way. Tuflex Geosynthetics: Tuflex India are the leading providers of solutions for various infrastructural projects in the field of Geosythetics which are used for a verity of applications like soil stabilization, embankments, retaining walls, flyovers, waste management landfills, airport runways, Taxi ways, railway track beds, road pavements etc. We have completed the Panvel Bypass section of Mumbai-Pune expressway in the year 2002. This is a landmark project and one of the largest retaining wall in India using polymer geogrids provided by Tuflex India. This was followed by the construction of ROB (Rail Over Bridge) at Boisar, near Mumbai in the year 2003. We have completed a major project for landfill in the field of hazardous waste management for M/s Bharuch Enviro Infrastructure Ltd. in the year 2004. We entered the Delhi PWD by way of construction of embankments for 2 major flyovers in Delhi in the year 2005. We have also done the retaining wall structure using our geogrid in NH2 near Aurangabad (Bihar).
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Floriculture Abroad
Chinese Floriculture
B
looms from the nation’s floriculture hub in Yunnan seldom reach major consumption areas such as Western Europe or North America, and the main reason for this is logistics. Li Yingqing and Yang Yang report. Cool and sporadic April rain falls on Kunming at 2 am. Most residents in the capital of Southwest China’s Yunnan province are fast asleep at this time - except for those along the road leading up to the city’s Dounan Flower Market - the largest in Asia - in Chenggong county about an hour’s drive from downtown. Kong Weihu, 23, is one of the countless motorists waiting in cars, vans and other vehicles on the congested road. “There’s always a traffic jam here at this time,” he says. Every morning, Kong drives thousands of freshly cut flowers from his 6.6 hectares of hothouses 50 kms from the market. On this trip, he has more than 20,000 carnations in the van. Dealers will buy his flowers and transport them to various cities, and to Japan and South Korea. If the price is good, Kong may rake in more than 20,000 yuan ($3,077). Kong is just one of the thousands of flower traders in the market. Every morning, the millions of the flowers sent from the market through Kunming account for 80 percent of the flowers sold in more than 70 Chinese cities, Yunnan provincial agricultural department figures show. In 2010 alone, 4.7 billion fresh flowers were traded here, with the total transaction value reaching 3.4 billion yuan, says Huo Ran, deputy general manager of China Kunming Dounan Flower Industrial Park Development Co Ltd, which owns the Dounan Flower Market. About 85 percent of China’s new flower varieties will also be “tested” in 40
Floriculture Today June 2011
the market, Huo says. More than 40 countries and regions, including Japan, United Arab Emirates and Thailand, receive flowers from this market, Huo says. Many consider Dounan market to be a bellwether of Yunnan’s blooming flower industry. During the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010), the area for growing the flowers in Yunnan province grew to 42,000 hectares in 2010 from 16,000 hectares in 2005, provincial agricultural department figures show. The province’s flower yield grew to 6.05 billion from 3.6 billion, leading China’s flower industry in 17 consecutive years. The total annual income of the growers in Yunnan rose from less than 2 billion yuan in 2005 to 6 billion yuan in 2010, while their total output value rose from 5 billion yuan to 232 billion yuan, according to the department. In 2010, the export sales of Yunnan’s flower industry tripled to $150 million from $50 million in 2005. While the province boasts the country’s largest flower yield and leads the domestic market, it still faces difficulties in entering the international market, especially Europe, which mirrors the export situation of China’s flower industry. “Although China’s flower yield accounts for 40 percent of the world’s total, our export share in the international market is merely 2 percent,” Huo says. Yunnan’s flowers are exported to neighboring countries and regions but seldom reach Western Europe and North America, the two major consumption regions for fresh flowers. “The biggest problem for exporting flowers from Yunnan
Floriculture Abroad is logistics,” He Kui, deputy director of Yunnan’s flower industry office, says. About 95 percent of Yunnan’s floriculture products are transported by air, Huo says. “Transportation of fresh flowers via air hampers our exploration into the European market for two reasons,” He says. “One is that the transport costs are so high that there are no decent profits left for growers or dealers.” Leading rose producer Kunming Yang Chinese Rose Gardening Co Ltd used to export flowers to Australia and Europe. But after the financial crisis, its export destinations decreased to only Japan and South Korea. “One of the most important reasons for the change is that transport costs are climbing so high with soaring energy prices,” the company’s president Yang Yuyong says. The proportion of the company’s sales made out of exports has declined from 60 to 70 percent before the financial crisis to 10 percent in 2010. Kunming Hongri Flower Plant Co Ltd, another flower company in the province, exports lilies, carnations, roses, African daisies and chrysanthemums to Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Dubai. All its products are transported by air. “If the export sales are $400,000, half will go to logistics,” the company’s export manager Zhao Lu says. He Kui also points to irregular flights affecting Yunnan’s flower exports. Freshly cut flowers headed for Europe have to be transferred from Bangkok because Kunming’s airport has no direct flights. “Instead of special cargo planes, we usually transport freshly cut flowers on airliners. The flower quality cannot be guaranteed, because the differences between ground and air temperature are big,” He says. “Sometimes there is no space on the airliners, so the flowers have to wait in Bangkok. As a result, customers cannot receive high-quality flowers on time”. Compared with the Netherlands, the largest flower exporter, Yunnan’s flower industry also falls behind in the development of new high-quality species, flower preservation techniques and packing. “Without these advantages, the flowers
Says He Kui, deputy director of Yunnan’s Flower Industry office, “The biggest challenge to Yunnan flowers’ future entry into the European market might be technical barriers to trade in terms of environmental protection”.
cannot maintain high quality and freshness before reaching their destinations and cannot sell at good prices in overseas markets,” He says. In recent years, local companies have tried to close the gap by cooperating with the Yunnan Academy of Agriculture Sciences in the research and development of new flower varieties and preservation techniques. By the end of 2010, Yunnan had bred 145 new flower varieties - 80 percent of
the country’s total. Among them, 54 had been granted with plant variety protection rights and three had gained recognition in the international market, a recent Yunnan flower industry office report says. In his 20-hectare planting base, two hour’s drive from downtown Kunming, Yang Yuyong proudly introduces the improved rose varieties he has bred. “There are more than 500 fine varieties of roses collected from all around the world being grown here,” Yang says. “Our job is to develop better ones by making hybrids from existing kinds.” Yang also introduced tropical plants, such as protea from South Africa, into his testing fields. A protea flower sells for 5 euros ($7) at wholesale prices in Europe and 120 yuan ($18) in Hangzhou, capital of East China’s Zhejiang province. “Because the price is so high, we can make a good profit by exporting protea to Europe even with the high logistics costs,” Yang says. He plans to export protea to Europe in the near future. But more needs to be done for the local producers to compete globally. “The biggest challenge to Yunnan flowers’ future entry into the European market might be technical barriers to trade in terms of environmental protection,” He Kui says. In the late 1990s, growing flowers was also blamed for polluting Dianchi Lake, 7.8 km from Dounan Flower Market. As a result, the government in 2008 banned farming flowers within 3 km around the lake, although the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concluded the pollution’s source was sewage from Kunming. Environmental protection now involves the whole flower growing process breeding, growing, packaging, transporting, preserving and disposing of waste. “First, we should select fine varieties of flowers that are highly resistant to diseases, pests and low temperatures to decrease the use of pesticides and carbon emissions from heating systems,” says Wang Jishi, director of the Institute of Flowers at the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. As for production and trading, many say Yunnan can borrow from the experience of foreign countries. n
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Gardening
For fruit picking
Ladder Gardening — Sunila Kumari, PhD Scholar, IGKV, Raipur, C.G. and Panj F. G. Asst. Director of Horticulture, Gujarat
D
o you have an old ladder which you don’t use often and its laying around the house? Well, do not think of dumping it. Bring it back to life as part of your garden. If it is a wooden ladder, treat it with a preservative to prevent it from rotting; if it is a metal ladder, it can be painted any color to match your color scheme. Ladders are the perfect ‘art form’ for a garden, they are a homage to garden husbandry and speak to us of trees, of wood, of utility and craftsmanship. And they can be accessorized, as seen here! Ladders can also be fashioned from tree logs as done by David Nash, sculptor, below . This is in a museum in Espoo, Finland. It almost looks anthropormorphic - like a giant ‘walking stick’ or something. Ladders are available in a variety of material ranging from wood, bamboo, plastic, metal to fibre which gives them different texture and durability. Of course, 42
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there is nothing that says you can’t paint a ladder some great color and have it placed strategically somewhere in your garden... Using ladders in the garden can have a utilitarian effect, as well as adding an enchanting and beguiling ambiance. Ladders can be used as a hanger for potted plants, as a storage stand for gardening tools in the shed, to display indoor plants, to create a mini garden in your living room, for you to climb plants or fruit picking, or as a support for your climbing plants. To use the ladder as a hanger for potted plants, hang the ladder parallel to the ground, assuring it is above head height so no one gets hurt. Add some wooden timbers across the ladder and you have a charming display stand for all your potted plants. Additionally, you could stand it up in your garden, along the wall of your home, patio, or anywhere you have some extra room. Add planks of wood across
each set of steps, add your potted plants, and another unique display for your plants is born! To use the ladder as a storage stand, hang the ladder parallel to the floor, about knee-high, in your shed, garage, or wherever you store your gardening tools, for a handy storage rack with dividers for bigger gardening tools, such as spade, rakes, hoes, stakes, and so much more. If hung parallel to the floor above head height, the ladder then becomes a storage rack for things like unused hanging pots, garden hoses, and watering cans. Using ladders as climber frames will add a unique accent to your garden. They can be used as a freestanding ladder or you can mount it against a tree, pole, fence, shed, or house wall, vertically or horizontally. Either way, using the ladder this way will make an effective trellis for your climber plants. As your plants grow, you can wind them around the step rungs or the frame of the
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Gardening
Nash Ladder (Finland)
ladder, or you can use hooks on the ladder and support your climbers on the hooks. This will help to keep your climbers off the ground. Some suitable climbers which will make beautiful display are Bougainvillea sps., Golden shower (Begnonia venusta), Antigonan leptopus , Clerodendrum speciosum , Petrea volubilis, Thunbergia coccinea etc. Once you have set up your ladder as a hanger, storage stand, or trellis, then you can use tree dĂŠcor accents to further add a captivating and alluring appeal to your unique garden accent. Another use for a ladder is in growing herbs in a narrow space. The ladder becomes your planting bed. Treat your soil with fertilizer, compose, sand, and/or manure. Once your soil is ready, lay the ladder down across your treated soil. Add planting soil between the rungs and plant your favorite herbs. A ladder may also be used as a plant holder in a small pond to keep the flowering plants in group for beautiful display, added foliage growth trained on the ladder may add unique beauty to your water garden. All of these uses of a ladder in your garden will lend a rustic charm to your favorite garden space and will become a wonderful focal point and a conversation piece for years of enjoyment for you and your family. n
Hydrangea ladder with Edgeworthia
Ladder
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