The Punjab government has opened a scheme for the farming community to facilitate them to develop farms with tunnel technology at almost half the actual cost. Exactly 3,000 acre area would be brought under cultivation with tunnel technology and the government would provide 50 per cent subsidy to the intending farmers, says a release issued by an agriculture spokesman here Monday.
The government would either provide Rs 225,000 per acre or 50 per cent of the total actual cost to encourage tunnel farming that enables farmers grow off-season vegetables that can fetch premium price. Farmers could earn high profits by sowing vegetables particularly tomatoes in tunnels, the spokesman said adding that cucumber, Shimla Chili, bitter gourd and other vegetables could also be grown through this technology for handsome profits.
The Punjab government was also providing 60 per cent subsidy on drip irrigation system while solar panels were being installed on 20,000 acre area to run modern irrigation system. The spokesman said that tunnel farming could be more successful with solar system.