CURRENT SCENARIO OF AGROTEXTILES & RECENT DEVELOPMENTS Workshop-cum-Exhibition on Strengthening Government-Industry-Consumer Partnership in Technical Textiles, 18th Sept., 2009 SASMIRA CURRENT SCENARIO OF AGROTEXTILES & RECENT DEVELOPMENTS U. K. GANGOPADHYAY DIRECTOR The Synthetic and Art Silk Mills’ Research Association Sasmira Marg, Worli Mumbai - 400 030 MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION SASMIRA OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION AGROTEXTILES & VARIOUS PRODUCTS OEKOTECH & VARIOUS PRODUCTS MARKET & RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN AGROTEXTILES CASE STUDIES ON USAGE OF MAJOR AGROTEXTILE PRODUCTS VIZ., SHADE NETS, GREENHOUSE & MULCH MATS AND THEIR STANDARDS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE – AGROTEXTILES AND ITS APPROACH INFERENCES AND PROPOSED STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTION OF AGROTEXTILE PRODUCTS MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

AGROTEXTILES & VARIOUS PRODUCTS SASMIRA AGROTEXTILES & VARIOUS PRODUCTS MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

SASMIRA WHAT IS AGROTEXTILE Special textiles that are manufactured for agricultural applications These textile structures are used as controlling environment for plants/animals in applications like Agriculture Horticulture Animal husbandry Benefits Of Agrotextile Products Used in Protected Cultivation For Indian Agriculturists for improved Productivity & Quality Of Produce and lower Cost Of Production MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

FACTORS INFLUENCING AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES SASMIRA FACTORS INFLUENCING AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES Sunlight – direct and indirect Water Climatic Conditions including wind, hail, humidity External factors like birds, insects, weeds Post Harvest handling of produce – storage and packaging In India, presently Agricultural Activities are carried out under Natural Conditions of Temperature and Humidity MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

CONSEQUENCES OF ABSENCE OF SASMIRA CONSEQUENCES OF ABSENCE OF CONTROL FACTORS Yield percentage is unsatisfactory Quality of produce is marred Damages to the produce Regional limitation on cultivation Seasonal limitation on cultivation THE ABOVE FACTORS CAN BE EFFECTIVELY CONTROLLED USING AGROTEXTILE PRODUCTS MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE SASMIRA AGRO TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE PRODUCT APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE ANIMAL HUSBAN- DARY FISHING CROP PRODUCE FLORICUL - TURE HORTICUL- TURE POST HARVESTING KNITTED NETS SHADING  BIRD PROTECTION WIND SHIELDS ANTI-HAIL HARVESTING MILCHING PACKAGING SUPPORT NETS MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE SASMIRA AGRO TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE Contd… PRODUCT APPLICATION IN AGRICULTURE ANIMAL HUSBAN- DARY FISHING CROP PRODUCE FLORICUL - TURE HORTICUL- TURE POST HARVESTING NONWOVEN FABRICS MULCHMAT  CATTLE SHED UNDERLAY PROTECTIVE CLOTHING WOVEN FABRICS PACKING SACKS SUNCREENS PLASTIC SHEETS GROUND COVERS GREENHOUSE FILMS MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Agrotextile Product Details SASMIRA Agrotextile Product Details Bird Protection Net Polypropylene monofilament / Polyethylene Tape yarns, Warp knitted, 2 – 3 cm mesh size, 40 – 80 g/sq.m. Woven structures of lighter weight are also used Shading net Polypropylene monofilament / Polyethylene Tape yarns, Warp knitted, mesh size as per the required shading %, 40 – 80 g/sq.m. Woven structures of lighter weight are also used Windshield fabrics Polypropylene monofilament / Polyethylene Tape yarns, Warp knitted, mesh size as per the required wind blocking %, 40 – 90 g/sq.m. Woven structures of lighter weight are also used MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Agrotextile Product Details, contd.. SASMIRA Agrotextile Product Details, contd.. Plant nets Polypropylene monofilament / Polyethylene Tape yarns, Warp knitted, Strips of nets with large opening, 30 -40 g/sq.m Harvesting nets Polypropylene monofilament / Polyethylene Tape yarns, Warp knitted, Flat nets of square or triangular construction, of mesh size 8 – 12 mm, 40 – 90 g/sq.m. Woven structures of lighter weight are also used MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Agrotextile Product Details, contd.. SASMIRA Agrotextile Product Details, contd.. Mulch Mat Polypropylene, spunbonded, 60 – 80 g/sq.m. Woven biodegradable structures are also used Packing Material Polyethylene Tape yarn, Warp knitted, 50 – 60 g/sq.m MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

OEKOTECH & VARIOUS PRODUCTS To PROTECT ENVIRONMENT SASMIRA OEKOTECH & VARIOUS PRODUCTS To PROTECT ENVIRONMENT MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

OEKOTECH Oekotech is an important areas of technical textiles. SASMIRA OEKOTECH Oekotech is an important areas of technical textiles. Used for environmental protection and waste disposal. Its use is based on environmental damages for: Building demolition Power plant ash Sewage treatment sludge Incinerated waste ash Municipal waste Untreated hospital waste Hazardous waste Radioactive waste MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

OEKOTECH PRODUCTS & USES SASMIRA OEKOTECH PRODUCTS & USES Geogrids - reinforce slopes beneath the waste, walls, cover soils above geomembranes; Geonets - in-plane drainage; Geomembranes – a barrier to liquids, gases and/or vapors and landfill caps; Geocomposites –for separation, filtration or drainage; Geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) - an infiltration/hydraulic barrier; used also for mine rehabilitation, tunnels, secondary containment Geopipes - landfill applications to facilitate collection and rapid drainage of the leachate to a sump and removal system; Geotextiles - filtration purpose or as cushion to protect the geomembrane from puncture. MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

MARKET & RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN AGROTEXTILES SASMIRA MARKET & RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN AGROTEXTILES MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Agrotextiles - International Scenario SASMIRA Most popular in Western Europe & North East Asia Help cultivation of crops in arid & semi-arid regions Shade Nets In Fuji, use of shade nets significantly reduced sunburn damage to apple crop In Spain, use shade net has found to reduce evaporation of irrigating water by 8 % Mulch Mats – Studies by horticulturist in USA revealed Help to retain the soil moisture crucial for plant survival Reduce growth of weeds that compete for needed resource Bird Protection Nets The menace of birds in Australia was solved in harmless manner without hurting or killing them. Harvesting Nets Prevent falling off of ripened fruits to the ground MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

SASMIRA INDIAN SCENARIO USAGE OF SHADE NETS AND MULCH MATS FOR PROTECTIVE CULTIVATION NOW PREVALENT. DUE TO LACK OF UNDERSTANDING, SAME PRODUCT BEING USED FOR VARIOUS APPLICATIONS WITH VARIED RESULTS. MOREOVER, NO SPECIFIED STUDIES FOUND TO SUGGEST SUITABILITY OF PRODUCTS VIS-À-VIS PRODUCTIVITY. THIS IS WHERE SASMIRA’S CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR AGROTEXTILES CAN RESCUES THE FARMERS MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Potential of the market-sizing for Agrotech in India SASMIRA Potential of the market-sizing for Agrotech in India 2007 -08 2012-13 Product Production Import Export Domestic consumption Shade-nets Quantity 5,000 MT - 2,200 MT 2,800 MT 3,747 MT Value Rs 45.5 crore Rs 17.5 crore Rs 28 crore Rs 37.5 crore Greenhouse films 700 MT 900 MT 1900 MT 2736 MT 7.8 crore 15 crore 22.8 crore 32.8 crore Mulch-mats 1,050 MT 115 MT 7,000 MT 14.1 crore 1.5 crore 12.6 crore 98 crore Crop-covers 1000 MT 10 crore Others 472 crore 11.6 crore 37.5 crore 446.1 crore 573.75 crore TOTAL 24,868 MT 1,875 MT 5,665 MT 21,078 MT 33,390 MT Rs 549 crore Rs 27 crore Rs 67 crore Rs 510 crore Rs 742 crore Source : ICRA Management Services Report on Baseline Study Summary MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Recent Trend of Developments in Agrotextiles SASMIRA Recent Trend of Developments in Agrotextiles Polymer fibre balls as substitute for soil Screening fabrics for sunlight management Knitted net hose for water transportation Superabsorbent polymer fibre mats for water management in horticulture applications Use of water retention nets coated with Superabsorbent polymer resin Composites of hemp or polypropylene for reducing soil pollutants MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Abstracts of Recent Development SASMIRA Abstracts of Recent Development Polymer fibre balls as substitute for soil Randomly crimped fibre balls, 0.5 - 60 mm, biodegradable/non-biodegradable, substitute for soil, provide excellent drainage, oxygenation and thermal insulation BACK MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Screening fabrics for sunlight management SASMIRA Screening fabrics for sunlight management Fabrics of elastic weft and metallised polyester warp helps to control level of sunlight, air circulation, humidity and carbon dioxide concentration for the vegetation BACK MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Knitted net hose for water transportation SASMIRA Knitted net hose for water transportation Warp knitted based on Kemafil Technology, help in storing and transporting water near to plant roots for irrigation. BACK MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

SASMIRA Superabsorbent polymer fibre mats for Water management in horticulture applications SAP helps to enhance retain water, suitable for horticulture in drought-prone areas BACK MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Use of water retention nets coated with Superabsorbent polymer resin SASMIRA Use of water retention nets coated with Superabsorbent polymer resin Textile structures coated with SAP resin, enhance water retention property to support plant growth BACK MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

Composites of hemp or polypropylene for reducing soil pollutants SASMIRA Composites of hemp or polypropylene for reducing soil pollutants Composite of Hemp or Polypropylene nonwoven fabrics and aluminium silicate, found to be useful in protection of soil from chemical pollutants BACK MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08

SASMIRA’s PROPOSED STUDIES FOR STANDARDIZATION OF AGROTEXTILES Development of durable breathable and barrier work wear fabrics for Agrotextile applications. Development of speciality fabric for water conservation and soil erosion control used in horticulture application. Establishing structural parameters of agrotextile products and their influence on the functional characteristics of these products. Development of Reflective Agrotextiles for Sun Management. Developing barrier packaging for Agricultural produce. MOT,GOI Workshop, 18.9.08