Greenhouse Farming: A Sustainable Approach to Enhance Crop Productivity in India

Table of Contents

• What is ‘Greenhouse Farming’?
• What are the Advantages of Greenhouse Farming in India?
• What are the Different Types of Greenhouses?
• What are the Challenges and Solutions in Greenhouse Farming?
  • Challenges to Adoption of Greenhouse Farming
  • Solutions to Address the Challenges
• What is the Difference between Greenhouse and Polyhouse Farming?
• What are the Subsidies for Greenhouse Farming in India?

What is ‘Greenhouse Farming’?

Greenhouse farming is a sustainable farming practice for cultivating crops within enclosed structures so that they grow in a protected environment. The structure of a greenhouse is usually made of galvanized steel. It is covered with a shading net or agricultural plastic film from all sides. The greenhouse size in India generally ranges from 1 acre to 3 acres.

Greenhouse cultivation is valuable for areas that receive high rainfall or have unfavorable weather. It uses plastic film in the form of a selective radiation filter. Thermal energy gets trapped within the greenhouse after solar radiation passes through the film. Crops are grown within these structures by providing favourable conditions like protection from pests and extreme weather conditions.

What are the Advantages of Greenhouse Farming in India?

Greenhouse farming in India is gaining momentum as a sustainable and profitable agricultural practice, especially in response to rising demand for high-quality and off-season produce. Here are some of the key benefits of greenhouse farming in India:

• Increased Crop Quality: Due to the controlled environment, crops in greenhouses get the right number of resources like water, sunlight, and nutrients. It results in higher-quality produce, which is an important aspect of cash crops and export-oriented agriculture.
• Higher Yield per Unit Area: Greenhouse cultivation is often characterized by higher productivity than traditional farming methods. Farmers can manage different environmental factors and regulate conditions for ideal crop growth. So, they can grow more per unit of land.
• Environmental Sustainability: Traditional farming methods are unreliable in the face of current climate change scenarios. In addition to that, India often faces harsh temperatures, heavy rainfall, and droughts. Greenhouse farming is a sustainable farming method that provides a regulated atmosphere that allows for cultivation throughout the year.
• Higher Profits: This type of farming method allows farmers to grow crops even during off season when open field cultivation is not possible. This leads to higher market prices and better profit margins since demand is high, whereas supply might be limited.
• Mitigating Production Risks: Greenhouse farming is conducted in enclosed spaces that prevent crop damage due to unreliable climatic conditions like extreme temperatures. Also, it prevents crop damage caused by pests, animals, and birds. So, there is less risk of crop losses and lower yields.
• Year-round Cultivation: This farming practice offers an independent space for growing crops. Thus, farmers can cultivate crops not only seasonally but also all year round. High-quality crops are produced despite extreme summer heat or severe winter cold.

What are the Different Types of Greenhouses?

Different types of greenhouse structures are used to produce crops. All of these structures have their specific advantages and disadvantages. Farmers can choose a greenhouse structure depending on various factors like space, crops, climatic conditions and required investment.

Following is the classification of Greenhouses:

Classification Based on suitability and cost:

• Lost Cost/Low Tech Greenhouse – A Low-cost greenhouse is a simple structure constructed with locally available materials (bamboo, timber etc). ultraviolet (UV) film is used as cladding materials. There is no specific control device for regulating environmental parameters.
• Medium Tech Greenhouse - This type of Greenhouse is built using galvanized iron (G.I) pipes and additionally include exhaust fans with thermostats to control the temperature. Evaporative cooling pads and misting arrangements are also made for humidity control.
• Hi-Tech Greenhouse – This type of Greenhouse is more on the expensive side, however, comes with a fully automatic control system.

Classification Based on Structure

• Quonset type
• Curved roof type
• Gable roof type

Classification Based as Per Glazing

• Glass glazing
• Fiberglass reinforced plastic glazing
  • Plain sheet
  • Corrugated sheet
• Plastic film
  • Ultraviolet stabilized low-density polyethylene
  • Silpaulin

What are the Challenges and Solutions in Greenhouse farming?

Challenges in Adoption of Greenhouse Farming

• It is known to be highly expensive as it not only demands high capital investment but also high operating costs.
• If there is any kind of pest or disease outbreak, there is a risk of the entire crop getting affected due to a closed space.
• Another common issue is clogged air filtration systems in greenhouses.
• Temperature swings can deter healthy growth in crops.

Solutions to Address the Challenges

• The government can implement favourable policy measures to expand the amount and scope of subsidies related to greenhouses. Research and development must be conducted to develop low-cost designs to reduce the cost of constructing greenhouses.
• Disinfection must be a top priority for greenhouse farmers. Regular inspection and cleaning of components like water tanks and lines is required to ensure decontamination.
• Farmers need to ensure an effective ventilation system. Thus, they must check and change air filters frequently.
• Farmers can use a greenhouse whitewash or shade cloth if the greenhouse suffers from extreme heat. An efficient heating system is ideal for colder climates. Regular inspection must be done to maintain a suitable temperature within the greenhouse.

What is the Difference between Greenhouse and Polyhouse Farming?

Polyhouse is a type of greenhouse with polyethylene covering the sides and roof of the structure. On the other hand, greenhouses can use a variety of materials like plastic films, semirigid polymers and glass as covering material. It has been observed that greenhouse farming is more expensive than polyhouse farming as greenhouses are permanent structures that are bigger than polyhouses.

What are the Subsidies for Greenhouse Farming in India?

• The Indian central government, with the assistance of National Horticulture Board (NHB) and the National Horticulture Mission (NHM), offers a credit-linked back-ended subsidy of 50% of the total project cost for greenhouses and other horticulture infrastructure. This subsidy is 15% more for hilly areas. It has been limited to a ceiling of 4,000 sq. m per beneficiary and Rs. 700 to 825 per sqm.
• The Rajasthan government has created the Green House Scheme to provide subsidies for greenhouses. For 4,000 square meters, a 50% grant (general-category farmers) and a 70% grant (small, marginal, SC, and ST farmers) have been allocated.
• Telangana government offers a 75% subsidy to small and marginal farmers to establish greenhouses and polyhouses.