2019
TUNNEL FARMING
Turn Potential Into Profit
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)
Ministry of Industries and Production (MoI&P)
Government of Pakistan
4th Floor Building No. 3, Aiwan-e-Iqbal Complex, Egerton Road Lahore
www.smeda.org.pk
Phone: (+92 42) 111 111 456
Tunnel Farming 1
Introduction to Tunnel Farming Fertile land and its maintenance within
the tunnel during the period of
cultivation.
Selection of profitable vegetables on
the basis of best analysis of cost and
revenues for a given season.
Cost efficiency through better
management.
Timely control of pests, diseases and
exercise of all recommended
There is a great demand of vegetables agronomic measures.
Maintenance and control of internal
throughout the year. Prices are at the highest
temperature and humidity of the
at the start and end of the season. Farmers can
tunnel.
get high returns on different crops if modern
Timely irrigation, fertilization, training
techniques are applied to grow off-season and grading of plantation.
crops in Pakistan. Fertilization as per recommendation
Vegetables & fruits can be cultivated in off- of experts.
Appropriate post-harvest planning for
season by using tunnel farming technology, in
washing, grading, packing, and
which temperature and moisture is controlled
transportation of product to the
for growth of crops in specific conditions. market.
The availability of vegetables all-round the
year, enables the farmer to fully utilize their Types of Tunnel Farming:
resources and achieve higher income as Following are three different types of tunnel
compared to traditional seasonal crops. farming techniques that are used in Pakistan to
The Benefits of Tunnel Farming: grow off season vegetables & fruits.
Tunnel farming grows vegetables beneath 1. Low Tunnel Farming:
protective plastic tunnels and as a method it Off-season vegetable cultivation is
produces vegetables that are very nutritious
recommended with the use of low tunnel
and creates large yields.
farming technique in Pakistan. It is the
The use of tunnels has enabled farmers to cheapest among the available options and
protect their crops from inclement weather quite similar to conventional farming methods.
and differing temperatures. The produce from These tunnels are suitable for heavy individual
the tunnel farming gives high volumes of fruit bearing crops, i.e. melons, watermelons,
payback as compared to seasonal vegetables pumpkins, round gourds, squashes etc. This is
grown. a very effective and commonly used method
Factors for Successful Tunnel Farming: among the farmers.
Following principles need to be followed for The estimated yield potential of the farm
the higher productivity of proposed fruits and varies according to the type of crop. With
vegetables: above mentioned crop mix, combined yield of
96 tons per season can be achieved excluding
Proper soil analysis for determining wastage which is 30 percent higher than the
soil nutritional level. conventional seasonal crop.
Use of high quality hybrid seeds.
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)
Tunnel Farming 2
Structure: Each tunnel is approx. 200 feet long, 10 feet
high and 30-32 feet wide. The tunnel is built by
2-3 inch diameter bamboo having 8.5~20 feet
length. The bamboos are fixed at regular
distance of approximately 10-15 feet. Each
tunnel structure will then be covered by 0.10
mm thick plastic sheet. Approximately 6
tunnels can be constructed on an acre of land
depending on the type of vegetable, i.e.
tomato, sweet pepper and cucumber.
The cost of stated structural and material
Each tunnel is approximately 200 feet long, 3.5
requirement of such tunnel varies depending
to 4 feet high and 4 feet wide. The tunnel is
upon the type of material used for structure
built by a 1/4-inch diameter Iron rod of 10 feet
including the cost related to plastic used as a
length, in half moon shape.
shield (cover) and mulch.
The plastic pipes are placed at regular intervals
3. Walk-In Tunnel Farming:
of approximately 10 feet. Each tunnel
structure will then be covered by a 0.04 mm Off-season vegetable cultivation is
thick and 10 feet wide plastic sheet. recommended with the use of walk in tunnel
Approximately 25 tunnels can be constructed structure on the basis of its low construction
on an acre of land depending on the type of cost.
vegetable, i.e. watermelon, muskmelon or
Off-season vegetables, such as, tomatoes,
round gourd.
chilies, cucumber, brinjal, hot pepper, sweet
The cost of stated structural and material peppers, watermelon, muskmelon, pumpkin,
requirement of such tunnel varies depending ridge-gourd and bitter-gourd can be cultivated
upon the type of material used for structure using walk-in tunnel technology.
including the cost related to plastic used as a
shield (cover) and mulch. Structure:
2. High Tunnel Farming:
Off-season vegetables, such as, tomatoes,
chilies / hot pepper, cucumber, brinjal, sweet
peppers, ridge-gourd and bitter-gourd can be
cultivated using high tunnel technology. The
estimated yield potential of the farm varies
according to the selected type of vegetable.
Structure:
Each tunnel is approximately 200 feet long,
8 feet high and 12 feet wide. The tunnel is
built by ½ inch galvanized iron of 20 feet
length, in half moon shape.
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)
Tunnel Farming 3
The plastic pipes are put at regular intervals of Filed
30 cm 200 cm
approximately 10-15 feet. Each tunnel Pumpkin
structure is covered by 0.08 mm thick and 20 Crookneck
50 cm 300 cm
Pumpkin
feet wide plastic sheet. Approximately 14
Bitter
tunnels can be constructed on an acre of land 50 cm 300 cm
Goud
depending on the type of vegetable, i.e. Zucchini 50 cm 300 cm
cucumber, bitter gourd and hot pepper.
Temperature Requirements:
Useful Links:
No. Produce Temp °C
1 Cucumber 24-18 www.smeda.org.pk
2 Capsicum 24-21 www.pfa.gop.pk
3 Tomato 29-21
4 Sweet Pepper 24-21 www.punjab.gov.pk
5 Bitter Gourd 29-21 www.icid.punjab.gov.pk
6 Filed Pumpkin 24-18
7 Crookneck Pumpkin 24-18 https://www.agribusiness.com.pk/tunnel-
8 Bitter Goud 24-18 farming-materials/
9 Zucchini 24-18
www.parc.gov.pk
www.companylist.org
Growing Season:
Sowing Transpla Direct
Vegetable
Time nting Sowing
Cucumber 1-15 Oct 1-15 Nov -
Capsicum - - 15-31 Oct
Tomato 1-15 Oct 1-15 Nov 10-20 Nov
Sweet
1-15 Oct 1-15 Nov 10-20 Nov
Pepper
Bitter
- - 10-20 Nov
Gourd
Filed After Mid Disclaimer:
- - Information provided in this document is for
Pumpkin Jan
Crookneck After Mid general purpose and collected through
- -
Pumpkin Jan secondary data sources. The reader is advised
Bitter After Mid to further deliberate given information
- -
Goud Jan according to the circumstances. SMEDA does
After Mid not hold any liability regarding outcome of the
Zucchini - -
Jan venture after use of this document.
Planting Distance for Optimum Yield:
Plant to Plant Row To Row
Vegetable
Distance Distance
Cucumber 30 cm 75 cm
Capsicum 30 cm 100 cm
Tomato 30 cm 100 cm
Sweet
50 cm 150 cm
Pepper
Bitter
45 cm 200 cm
Gourd
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA)
