Nabard, Haryana join hands to boost poly house projects

Total financial outlay for the project pegged at Rs 150 crore

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard), in association with the Haryana government, has prepared a farmer-centric cultivation project it hopes would facilitate advancements of loans to farmers for setting up poly houses — a farming technique used for absorbing incoming solar radiation heat.

The project has been titled “Model bankable project on protected cultivation in Haryana” deals particularly with four vegetable — tomato, cherry tomato, capsicum, cucumber — and three flower crops — rose, gerbera and carnation — in view of their marketing potential in the National Capital Region.

BBS Bisht, Dy general manager, Nabard, speaking to Business Standard, said, “There is immense scope for setting up poly houses projects in the state but due to lack of any model bankable project, bankers are reluctant to finance such projects to the farmers. Considering this aspect, we, in coordination with the state government, have prepared this model.”

“We have prepared the plan indicating physical and financial targets for financing of poly houses under two models namely, Walk in Tunnel Model(WIT) and Naturally Ventilated Polyhouse Model(NVPH).”

Poly houses require an acre of land or half of it, and the cost of the complete green house varies from Rs 1 - 1.5 lakhs.

To promote poly houses, the Haryana government is providing subsidy of 65 per cent, 90 per cent and 50 per cent on cost of polyhouse, irrigation system and planting material, respectively.

According to the plan, there is a scope of setting up at least 1,180 such projects in the state with total financial outlay of about Rs 150 crore. Also, there is an opportunity for the banks to finance the projects to the tune of Rs 53 crore.

The plan further states that  naturally-ventilated poly houses are suitable and have good economies. Commercially protected cultivation have started after the launch of the National Horticulture Mission and has taken a boost after the setting up of Centre of Excellence for vegetables at Gharaunda in Karnal under Indo-Isreal project during last year.

He added, “We are going to work as facilitating agency and assist the bankers as well as individual for setting up the project.”

Earlier, Chandigarh-based valuers (who evaluate properties, plant and machinery), under the aegis of Institution of Valuers, also announced they would extend their expertise to the agriculturists and entrepreneurs in setting up poly houses in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. They said they would encourage farmers to set up green houses, as it is very profitable business for farmers and most suitable to small farmers.