President, Chamber of Agriculture Karachi Sindh, Abdullah Rafi has emphasised the need for promoting poly tunnel farming in the country to meet growing vegetables demand. He said that the facility of growing on season, off-season vegetable also allows for growing non-conventional varities and vegetables, which are in high demand in the international market.
The importance of vegetables cannot be denied due to their nutritional value as these provide proteins, carbohydrates and salts that are essential ingredient for the growth of human body. The tunnels also called hoop houses, high hoops, high tunnels or poly tunnels. The tunnels are sometimes confused with green houses. The key difference is that the tunnels are not heated and provide less climate control and less expensive.
Vegetables can be cultivated in off-season, with the induction of an artificial technique like tunnel technology, in which temperature and moisture is controlled for specific growth of vegetables. The production of vegetables all around the year enables the growers to fully utilise their resources and supplement income from vegetable growing as compared to other normal agriculture crops.