The per acre yield of vegetables cultivated in the tunnels was much higher than in traditional farming, says farmers.
As much as 1,200 acres land in four tehsils of the district is now under tunnel farming, an Agriculture Department official said on Sunday.
He said the technology for vegetable farming was gaining popularity among small farmers in the district.
He said experts from Agriculture Department were extending cooperation and assistance to farmers in this regard.
He said progressive farmers had set up walk-in as well as low tunnels in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils and were cultivating off-season cucumbers, tomatoes, green chillies, paprika, pumpkin, bitter gourd, watermelons and melons.
He said tunnel technology had paved the way for bringing revolutionary changes in agriculture sector. It had enabled the growers to produce off-season vegetables and improve their economic condition.
Farmers Maqsood Jutt and Akhtar Chaudhry said they were happy with the yield of off-season vegetables and the return on investment. They said they had set up walk-in and low tunnels without financial support from the government.
The per acre yield of vegetables cultivated in the tunnels was much higher than in traditional farming, they said. The growers’ community, they added, had focused attention on adopting this technology for better return of the crops.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2014.
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