How our farmer produced 90 tons of Tomatoes in net house

We provided an appropriate economical solutions to the farmers of north India. Farmers were facing major challenges in growing vegetables in a naturally ventilated greenhouse. During the summers the temperatures inside a normal polyhouse used to cross more than 48 degree C.

We understood after interacting with farmers  that in major geographical locations in India where summer temperature went very high transplanting of seedlings in Polyhouse was not possible until  15th of August. It was only almost mid august when temperature began to come down.  Farmers transplanting in a polyhouse in August had to face the extreme winter in December to January and the vegetable from this field used to come market only in January. Also since the temperature again started  increasing from April the growing season got over by April itself hence reducing the growing cycle drastically.

To overcome this problem a net house structure with double screen was introduced. This technology was successfully used to grow vegetables in the extreme desert like conditions of Arava Valley of Israel. We imported this know how into india. The double layer consisted of:

1. Outer layer of Chromatinet pearl
2. 2nd Inernal layer of movable motorised Aluminet ( A Special shading net made of pure Aluminium foil and coated with HDPE on both sides)

Chromatinet pearl offered diffused light to the plants leaf mass and Aluminet reduced the Solar radiation. It was possible to do transplanting as early as in July in this structure. Early planting helped in advancing the crop cycle and supply of produce in the October-November during the wedding season to market. This was  when the prices were high. Since the ventilation in a net house was better than a greenhouse the growing season could be extended till June as against April in a Polyhouse.  A longer growing season resulted in 90 tons of Tomato yield per acre per year and the farmer made a gross profit of approx. 7 lakhs per acre.

Thus we discovered that In majority of North India ( and rest of India where summer temperature is high) in greenhouse planting is done in October for crops like Tomatoes, Capsicum, Egg Plant, Chilli ,Cherry tomatoes etc while the same can be planted in July Onwards in Net house.

Many times you don’t need the ultimate solutions,we just need the optimum solution.