Protected cultivation of high value vegetable crops for sustainable production in north eastern hill region

Abstract

Due to increasing population, urbanization and rapid industrialization, achieving food security has become a major challenge in our country. It is estimated that by the year 2050 about 342 million tonnes of vegetables will be required to meet the consumers demand. Keeping in view the scenario, protected cultivation of vegetable crops especially the high value ones would be promising technology for improved productivity and cropping intensity. This technology may be promising for north eastern hill region due to unpredictable weather and prevalence of more congenial natural environment requiring minimal or no cooling as compared to other northern plains of India. Protected cultivation is carried out under protected structures like net house, shade house, polytunnel, polyhouse, etc. which are given different names depending on the cladding and other materials used during construction.