Jalpaiguri, March 12 -- In a bid to improve the quality of vegetable cultivation and protect crops from pest and disease attacks, the Horticulture Department has launched an initiative to promote the use of plastic mulching among farmers in North Bengal. As part of the effort, around 1,000 rolls of plastic sheets have been distributed among farmers across several districts in the region.

According to officials, plastic mulching offers multiple benefits to farmers and helps improve both productivity and crop quality. Khursid Alam, Assistant Director of the Horticulture department in Jalpaiguri district, said each plastic sheet is about 400 metres long and 1.2 metres wide, with one side black and the other silver in colour.

"The price of each plastic mulching sheet is around Rs. 6,000. However, the government is providing subsidies to encourage farmers to adopt this cultivation method," Alam said.

Under this method, the farmland is slightly raised and the plastic sheet is spread over the soil. Small holes are then made in the sheet to plant creeping vegetables such as capsicum, bottle gourd, pumpkin and other vine crops. The plastic covering prevents the growth of weeds around the plants, reduces the need for irrigation and helps retain soil moisture.

Officials said the technique also lowers the chances of pest and disease attacks, resulting in better yields and improved vegetable quality.

Farmers who have adopted the method have reported positive results. Sarath Roy, a vegetable farmer from Mondolghat in Jalpaiguri Sadar block, said cultivation through plastic mulching has significantly improved farming. "There is almost no pest or disease attack," he said.

On average, between 150 and 250 rolls of plastic sheets have been distributed in agriculturally active blocks across north Bengal districts, including around 150 rolls in Jalpaiguri district. Officials added that the 100-micron-thick plastic sheets can be reused for another cultivation cycle, helping farmers reduce overall production costs.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.