AGRO-TEXTILES- Global Scenario

Nawab Ali
Dy. DG (Engg)

Pitam Chandra
Asstt. DG (PE)

ICAR, New Delhi

pc1952@gmail.com
October 01, 2008

Mechanized Plasticulture
Time Magazine (Friday, Apr. 19, 1963)

On the scattered southwestern cotton fields,.

Paper-thin strips of polyethylene plastic stretch
across the fields, warming the soil, conserving
water, choking out weeds, protecting the land
against the erosion of wind and rain.. If this
season's adventurous farmers from California to
Texas harvest swollen crops, a good part of the
14,500,000 U.S. acres that are planted to cotton is
almost certain to be flashily striped with
polyethylene by next spring.

AGRO-TEXTILES
woven, non-woven and knitted
fabrics using natural and / or
synthetic
fibres
applied
for
agricultural & horticultural uses
covering
livestock
protection,
fishery, shading, weed and insect
control, extension of the growing
season
and
post
harvest
applications

GLOBAL USAGE
Technical textiles used in 2005 was 20 million
tonnes.
Ratio of synthetic to natural fibres used in
technical textiles is 75 : 25
Share of agro-textiles in the technical textiles
market is about 8.2% of the world total
Annual growth rate in technical textiles is more
than 4%

HORTI-POTS

Nursery Bags

Lining of ponds

Solarization

Wavelength Selective and/or

Colored Mulches

Red Mulch for Tomato

Strawberry crop on Mulched Beds

Low Tunnels

Tomato plants in portable bags

Greenhouses

Off-season Vegetable
Cultivation in Greenhouses

Bird Protection Fabric

Protecting grape-vines from Rain

Temporary Storage
Time Magazine (Friday, Apr. 19, 1963)

On the scattered southwestern cotton fields,.

Paper-thin strips of polyethylene plastic stretch
across the fields, warming the soil, conserving
water, choking out weeds, protecting the land
against the erosion of wind and rain.. If this
season's adventurous farmers from California to
Texas harvest swollen crops, a good part of the
14,500,000 U.S. acres that are planted to cotton is
almost certain to be flashily striped with
polyethylene by next spring.

INDIAN AGRICULTURE
115 million farm families cultivate 142 million
ha: average land holding is less than 1.25 ha.
16% of the worlds population has access to
only 2.9% of worlds land and 4.2% of the
water
Two thirds of Indian agriculture is rain-fed
Worsening soil and water health

INDIAN AGRICULTURE
Low farm power availability
Low level of farm mechanization
Low farming skills
Low technical inputs
Resource poor farmer

INDIAN AGRICULTURE
Generally low agricultural productivity
Low resource utilization efficiency
Low profitability of agricultural sector
Environmental unsustainability of present
agriculture
Low income of Indian farmer

INDIAN USAGE
Technical textiles is import intensive
industry in India
Over all growth of technical textiles is
estimated at 14% per annum
Market size for technical textiles was
Rs.23,300 crore in 2005-06
Estimated market size of Agrotextiles
during 2005-06 was Rs. 417.77 crores
Estimated growth of 8% for Agro-textiles
during the XI Plan

Agro-Textiles Permit
Higher input utilization efficiencies
Conservation of natural resources
Extension of growing seasons
Higher quality produce
Reduction in production and post harvest
losses
Higher productivity and profitability

Technical Textiles in Agriculture

Crop Production
Nets
Mulch mats
Non-woven mats
Crop cover
Movable beds for mushrooms
Bird protection nets
Anti-hail nets
Cordage and strings
Trees covered by nets to cover growing expanses of fruits
from birds
Nets for protection from hail storm

Technical Textiles in AgricultureContinued

Crop Production
Non-woven covers are used to protect young plants
such as strawberries, potatoes, lettiche from night frost
and viruses.
Woven and non-woven covers used in green houses
to protect plants from extreme hot or cold conditions
Fabric beds to grow mushroom
Fabric cover to control sunlight
Sun screens
Wind shields
Harvesting nets and nets for protecting crops.
Protective clothing

Technical Textiles in AgricultureContinued

Animal Husbandry
Identification belts for cows (nylon and Polyester)
Nets to support large udders
Non-woven filters to filter milk in automatic
milking system
Non-woven fabrics used as underlay to reduce
mud on cattle path and trails.
Animal shelters
Fisheries
Fishing lines, nets, ropes and twines

Technical Textiles in AgricultureContinued

Post Harvest Management & Value
Addition
Bags and containers
Temporary storage structures
Cover & Plinth (CAP) covers for bulk
storage of grain bags
Dryers
Conveyors

ICAR has six institutes/ NRC and one AICRP

that work on production, processing and
utilization aspects of different natural and
synthetic fibres.
CICR, Nagpur
CIRCOT, Mumbai
NIRJAFT, Kolkata
CRIJAF, Barrackpore
CSWRI, Avikanagar
NRC on Yak, West Kameng
All India Coordinated Research Project on
Application of Plastics in Agriculture

IMPORTANT ISSUES
Public Private Partnership in developing and
demonstrating the technology value chain
Management of used agro-textiles: recycling,
incineration, energy recovery, programmed
degradability
Biodegradable and renewable products:
Green products/ biopolymer based products

THANK YOU