Sidwin Fabric Pvt Ltd, a Chinese firm that manufactures agriculture materials has introduced in Kenya Grow Cover, an effective crop covering material that can be used to protect crops such as banana bunches, fruits and vegetables among others from severe weather, pests and diseases than the polythene bags which have been banned in the country and were used by farmers before.
The material which are made from non-woven fabric raw materials of low weight to prevent damages of crop covered even in every condition comes as a relief to farmers who depended on the polythene bags to destructive insects and birds from destroying their crops other than using the bags to speed up crop maturity as in the case of bananas.
“This is the first time we are introducing our products in the Kenyan market and we believe farmers will be interested to try them out as they apply to a wide range of crops which are grown in the field and are high risk or attacks by birds, small animals, adverse weather conditions, pests and diseases,” said Suresh Patel, Grow Cover Managing Director during the 5th Agritech Africa Exhibition & Conference last week at Kenyatta International Convention Center.
Over 500 farmers who visited the company’s stand had chance to buy the covering materials which comes in various sizes such as white GSM 23, Width 1.6mtr, Length 625mtr Roll with product code CG23-63 and White GSM 17, Width 1.6mtr, Length 625mtr Roll with product code CG17-63 among others.
“We believe the farmers whom we have served are going to be our ambassadors and witnesses about the effectiveness and benefits of the crop covering material,” said Patel.
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In addition the material prevent plants from cold and frost of up to five degree Celcius as some circuiting moisture is trapped by it and in the event of frost this film freezes providing the plant with natural frost protection.
It minimizes the dangers caused by hail, heavy rain and storms. The fabric also protects crops from heat wave up to 55 degree Celcius other than protecting crops from birds, insects and other harmful virus’ attack.
“Grow Cover creates roof on crop which allow air and sunlight as required only. It create protective space like home for crop. It protects against weather effect like temperature changes, wind, rain and snow because of its unique structure,” said Patel.
Installation
Grow cover product is very easy and simple in installation any skill & unskilled person can install. Its tunnel requires a simple frame of wires supports a crop cover to give a typically cross section of 40-50 cm Height and require length.
The edge of the crop cover may be buried in soil. The restricted volume and access means that care has to be taken with ventilation to avoid overheating and high humidity by opening tunnel when necessary. Same other product also very easy to use.
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Earliet Yields and Uniformity
Crop cover develops the microclimate inside the tunnel which create identical atmosphere for crop. The microclimate reduce the temperature variation such resulting to uniformity in agriculture production also in such condition growth of the crop increase remarkable comparing to open field which gives early yield.
The microclimate created by the veil optimizes the conditions for photosynthesis. Crops covered can mature 1-3 weeks earlier than an uncovered control. There are variations depending on the species, times and production techniques.
Sustainability against UV
Ultraviolet radiation is at the other end of the spectrum to infrared and has several effects relevant to plants.
It can stimulate the germination of some seeds, cause the death of plant tissue, is responsible for blackening of rose petals, help formation, activation, deactivation of certain plant pigments, some insects need it for vision and it is necessary for the sporulation of certain fungi.
Crop cover can be formulated to filter out certain UV wavelengths and reduce some of these effects.
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Microclimate effect
The texture of crop cover allows sunlight to enter but traps heat inside, so the temperature inside tunnel stays warm even when it’s cold outside and stays cool inside even when it’s too hot outside.
Because gases in the Earth’s atmosphere also let in light but trap heat, many people call this phenomenon the “greenhouse effect or microclimate effect”. It’s work as mini greenhouse which is truly cost effective and temporary.
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