India is an agriculture-based economy, where 43% of its popoulation remain employed in agricultural and allied activities. Agriculture along with other related fields like forestry and logging provides employment to 60% of India’s population. Agriculture accounts for almost 19% of the Gross Domestic Product and 9% of the total exports. India’s agro-climatic conditions and rich natural resource base sets prelude for doing very good on agriculture front. Today, India has become the world’s largest producer across a range of commodities, like coconut, mango, banana, milk and dairy products, cashew nuts, pulses, ginger, turmeric and black pepper. It is also the second largest producer of rice, wheat, sugar, cotton, fruits and vegetables. Agriculture is Indian economy’s mainstay and it comprises 18.5% of the gross domestic product (GDP). In the last two years agriculture growth rate was 4% against growth rate of 2.5% during the 10thFive Year Plan. A 4.1% growth implies a Rs 1,50,000 crore increase in Agriculture GDP. (Source: Reserve Bank of India , Planning Commission Targets) (Source: Reserve Bank of India, Planning Commission Targets) Plastic pipes open up flow of water into the agricultural fields contributing to the growth of fruits and vegetables. Barren land without water would lead to a failure of crops. Plastic products related to agriculture include LLDPE Mulch film; PVC Pipes, HDPE Pipes, LLDPE Drip Irrigation Pipes, HDPE Nets, PE Greenhouse, etc would lead to higher productivity (yield). New Products in Plasticulture include: • HDPE Eyeleted Tarpaulins as sacks for fruits & vegetables • LDPE Reverse Printed Extrusion Coating on 2 sides of HDPE Woven Sacks Plastics, which was initially perceived as films have grown to agrishade nets, from tapes to agrishade net and from monofilament to monofilament agrishade nets. A growing phenomenon, plastics has been an indirect contributor to the food of a common man. Plastics in Agribusiness have been a contributor for a higher productivity (yield) of fruits and vegetables. Since India is No.2 producer of fruits (50 mln tons) and No.3 producer of vegetables (90 mln tons) in the world, a high potential exists for plastic products related to agriculture. Polyethylene Greenhouse: A greenhouse is a framed or inflated structure covered with a transparent or translucent material in which crops could be grown under the conditions of at least partially controlled environment and which is large enough to permit a person to work within it to carry out cultural operations. Polyethylene Greenhouse is made up of a polyethylene film of upto 10 mts wide and upto 200 microns. Polyethylene monolayer, three layer and five layer films are used. Three layer polyethylene film extruders of 1200 kg/hr upto 10 metre width are available in the country. PE Greenhouses are available in widths of 4.5 mts, 5.5 mts, 7 mts & 9 mts (mainly used upto 200 microns). Specific Benefits: • Crop cultivation under inclement climatic conditions • Control of growing conditions for plants to obtain desired results • Certain crops cultivated year round to meet the market demands • High value and high quality, even organic, crops grown for export markets • Small land holdings increased several fold • Successful nurseries from seeds or by vegetative propagation prepared as and when necessary • More self-employment opportunities for educated youth on farm • Manipulation of microclimate and insect proof feature of the greenhouse for plant breeding and, thus, the evolution of new varieties and production of seeds • Protection from birds and animals • Facility in controlling pests and diseases • Possibility of widening the variety of plants for general gardening purposes • Possibility of reducing gardening costs because the owner or gardener grows his own plants Source : http://www.homegardenguides.com/wiki/Greenhouse) Benefits of Plastic Greenhouses • Construction cost per square foot is much lower than a glass greenhouse • Plastic greenhouses can be heated as satisfactorily as glass greenhouses • Plants grown under plastic have the same quality as those grown under glass • Polyethylene tends to scatter light. Scatter or diffused light tends to benefit plants by reducing excess light on upper leaves and increasing reflected light to lower leaves • Plastic is adapted to various greenhouse designs, generally resistant to breakage, light weight and relatively east to apply (Source : Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Servicel) Types of PE Greenhouses: Classification based on material • Frames are made of wood, galvanized steel or aluminium • Covering can be :    - Glass    - Fibreglass    - Double wall plastic    - Film plastic (Source : NCPAH) • High cost structure with iron/Aluminium frame need to be replaced by bamboo and timber • Low density polyethylene UV stabilised film of 200 micron thickness Green Houses & Large Tunnels Crop Yield (Tonne/ha) % Increase Type of Green House Green House Open Field Onion 15.6 11.10 41% Naturally ventilated greenhouse Cauliflower 15.2 8.00 90% Naturally ventilated greenhouse Raddish 55.3 20.00 177% Naturally ventilated greenhouse Tomoto 98.9 80.00 24% Multispan greenhouse Benefits Cultivation possible in hostile climates Yield increase (more than 100%)      • Better quality of produce      • Reduced infestation of plant diseases and pests      • Rain-shelter in heavy precipitation areas Status in India      • 2000 Ha under Green House cultivation. Potential: 400, 000 Ha area can be brought under Green House. (Source : PCBG) Manufacturing Process: Blown film extrusion is a technology that is the most common method to make plastic films. The process involves extruding a tube of molten polymer through a die and inflating to several times its initial diameter to form a thin film bubble. This bubble is then collapsed and used as a lay-flat film. The Film Blowing Process: • The polymer material starts in a pellet form, which are successively compacted and melted to form a continuous viscous liquid • This molten plastic is then forced or extruded, through an annular die. Air is injected through a hole in the centre of the die and the pressure causes the extruded melt to expand into a bubble. The air entering the bubble replaces air leaving it, so that even and constant pressure is maintained to ensure uniform thickness of the film • The bubble is pulled continually upwards from the die and a cooling ring blows air onto the film. The film can also be cooled from the inside using internal bubble cooling. This reduces the temperature inside the bubble, while maintaining the bubble diameter • After solidification at the frost line, the film moves into a set of nip rollers which collapse the bubble and flatten it into two flat film layers. The puller rolls pull the film onto windup rollers. The film passes through idler rolls during this process to ensure that there is uniform tension in the film. Between the nip rollers and the windup rollers, the film may pass through a treatment centre. During this stage, the film may be slit to form one or two films or surface treated. Three layer blown film extrusion (also known as blow film co-extrusion) is a process of simultaneously extruding in molten stage three polymers which adhere to each other through a common die to form an integral film of unique strength and barrier properties. This process saves time because it extrudes two or more layers at the same time. Coextrusion is the least expensive means of producing layered films. • The size of a PE Greenhouse could be reduced for plants which need a growth with lower heights upto a height of 6 feet. Dimensions of 6 ft * 6 ft. Small greenhouses offer lower initial investment and flexibility of operation. • A combination of LLDPE Mulch film & PE Greenhouse could be used in case of a greenhouse in summer where more sunlight is not needed such as summer, when a reduction in light is desirable & when cooling is a problem in summer. Mulches will also help conserve moisture This could serve as a dual purpose of LLDPE Mulch film & PE Greenhouse saving one investment of LLDPE Mulch film. - The example of strawberries wherein Linear Low Density Polyethylene Mulch film is used in high quantities also exists for other fruits and vegetables. Water is needed for survival of human beings, Linear Low Density Polyethylene Mulch film is needed for the growth of plants. Retaining moisture levels in soil thus becomes a need for achieving a higher productivity of plants for both fruits and vegetables. Black colour mulch film with addition of carbon black is amongst the most common film used which prevents the film from ultra violet degradation. Achieving higher quality film with a longer shelf life with virgin material offers a quality product to the farmers helping in creating a brand for each farmer. UV stabilised mulch film with addition of carbon black is used for the growth of plants. Distribution Pattern of PE Greenhouses Apportioning high percentage of Selling & Distribution Expense i.e. 10% of Sales would lead to a market penetration. Shelling out high commission to commission agents would lead to a faster market penetration without affecting the desired payback period. • 5 Nos commission agents from APMC’s etc in 5 regions where use of PE Greenhouse is maximum • Shelling out good commissions to these commission agents by apportioning high selling & distribution expenses in the project • Involve persons qualified in the field of agriculture who would be able to communicate the advantages of use of polyethylene greenhouse to each commission agent who would be able to communicate to each farmer • Initiate this exercise with one place/city/region and replicate the same in other places/cities/regions For achieving a higher market penetration of PE Greenhouses • Achieve parallel higher market penetration via     - Commission Agents     - Qualified persons from field of Agriculture     - Dealers of plastic products related to agriculture • Commission agents who know the local language would communicate more effectively with farmers • Farmers would have more faith and believe local persons from their village • Qualified persons from field of Agriculture would be able to brief the farmers on higher productivity(yield) and benefits of PE Greenhouses • Dealers who display the plastic products related to agriculture such as pipes, mulch film to add one more product in their shops • Promote PE Greenhouses amongst existing multilayer film processors • Distribution pattern – Commission Agents, Marketing persons qualified in field of Agriculture, Dealers of plastic products related to agriculture leading in achieving a higher market penetration • Business leading to :     - Net profitability to the farmers     - Net profitability to the entrepreneurs • Tieups between the two bringing in more business leading to an economic growth of our country • One farmer, a leader uses these plastic products, followers too would use these products • Initiate the business with one farmer, one village would result in achieving a higher market penetration Multilayer polyethylene film manufacturers can produce LLDPE Garbage bags/PE Multilayer film for flexible packaging laminates/PE Multilayer film for milk, edible oil/LLDPE Stretch & Cling film/LLDPE Mulch film on the same film extruder. PE Greenhouse can be manufactured on a 3 layer PE film extruder upto 10 metre wide. Monolayer polyethylene film manufacturers can produce LLDPE Carry bags/LLDPE Nursery bags/LD/LLDPE Liners/LLDPE Perforated film for fruits and vegetables/LLDPE Mulch film on the same film extruder. (Ms Poorvi C. Desai, Sr. Manager, Business Development – Polymers, Reliance Industries Ltd.)