India has witnessed an increase in food grain production from 51 million tones (50’s) to 206 million tonnes at the turn of the century and that has helped in achieving self sufficiency. However, quick shrinking of the agricultural land threatens sustainable production of food grains and its ability to feed ever growing mouths. In this context, careful tailoring of soil and crop management practices suitable to local needs is of great importance to keep up the pace of production. Precision Farming otherwise called prescription farming or site-specific farming helps to overcome these constraints by accurately assessing the variability of crop production practices in space-time continuum by utilizing tools like Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographical Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS) and Sensors. Since ancient time, mankind has beenaware of the fact that a wise modification of the environment could improve the productivity of crops. For instance, the fact that light transmitting shelters could create a suitable environment was certainly known to the Romans, as Emperor Tiberius used to eat a cucumber daily. Infact, the concept of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) was not a novel idea and has been in use since a long time. Greenhouse Technology has been considered as the core part of precision farming and has a tremendous role to play in Indian horticulture by increasing the availability of fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers and thereby leading to better nutrition and improved standard of living. A greenhouse can be defined as a “framed or an inflated structure with a transparent or translucent material in which crops could be grown under at least partially controlled environment and which is large enough to permit persons to work within it to carry out cultural operations”. The greenhouse is now better understood as a system ofcontrolled environment agriculture (CEA), with precise control of air, temperature, water, humidity, plant nutrition, carbon dioxide and light. The inside environment (microclimate) of the greenhouse is controlled by growth factors like light, temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide concentration. They are scientifically controlled to an optimum level throughout the cultivation period, thus increasing the productivity by several folds. The liberalized seed policy in the late eighties, globalization of Indian economy and the economic reforms initiated in the early nineties paved the way for the advent of state of the art protected cultivation technology in India. The use of greenhouses for commercial agricultural production in India hadto wait until the technology became advanced enough in late nineties for the products to be sold at competitive prices. After the advent of plastics application in agriculture, greenhouse technology evolved as a breakthrough in the agricultural production technology. It has integrated market driven quality parameters with production system profits. Today, the expertise is such that in principle, it is possible to let the climate control computer to produce the microclimate desired by the grower according to the need of a particular crop with the benefit-cost ratio being more than one.
MARKET SURVEY CUM DETAILED TECHNO
ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY REPORT covers
Introduction
Uses and Applications
Properties
Market Survey with future aspects
Present Manufacturers
Detailed Process of Manufacture
Formulations
B.I.S. Specifications
Process Flow Sheet Diagram, Plant Layout,
Cost Economics with Profitability Analysis
Capacity
Land & Building Requirements with Rates
List & Details of Plant and Machinery with their Costs
Raw Materials Details/List and Costs
Power & Water Requirements
Labour/Staff Requirements
Utilities and Overheads
Total Capital Investment
Turnover
Cost of Production
Break Even Point
Profitability
Land Man Ratio
Suppliers of Plant & Machineries and Raw Materials
Cash Flow Statement
Repayment Schedule
Interest Chart
Depreciation Chart
Projected Balance Sheet for 5 Years etc.