Tunnel farming technology for vegetable production has gained popularity among the small growers and farmers in Punjab. Sources in agriculture department told Business Recorder that tunnel farming was being carried out over 16,101 acres of land across the province. More than 1800 small farmers have adopted tunnel farm technology on their own expanse in Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial tehsils of the district.
More farmers are considering opting this technology keeping in view the economic benefits in the district and contacting agriculture department for obtaining information and guidance for starting tunnel farming technology.
The experts of agriculture department are extending full cooperation and assistance to the interested farmers in this regard. Some progressive farmers have successfully installed walk-in and low tunnels in Sialkot, Daska, Sambrial and Pasrur tehsils of the district and cultivating off-season vegetables like cucumber, tomato, green chilli, paprika, pumpkin, bitter gourd, watermelon and melons etc..
The tunnel technology had paved the way for bringing revolutionary changes in agriculture sector not only enabling the growers to produce off-season vegetables but also for improving their economic condition.
When contacted Maqsood Jutt and Aslam Akhtar Choudary the progressive farmers said that they were successfully attaining the yield of offseason vegetables and gaining better return of crops adding that farmers community had installed "walk-in and low tunnels" without the finical support of the provincial government.
The per acre yield of vegetables cultivated under tunnel farming technology is much higher as compared to traditional farming and growers community had focus attention on adopting this technology for getting better return of the crops they said.
They foresee that tunnel farming technology would not only help in improving the economic conditions of the growers community but also support in bringing revolutionary changes in agriculture sector while people would be able to get offseason vegetables round the year at local markets in the district.
It may be mentioned that under tunnel farming technology the crops are cultivate in a set temperature for attaining maximum output of the vegetables and fruit as a result of which the farmers get maximum profit by selling the vegetables and fruits before season.