PLASTIC MULCHING MADE EASY

THE USE OF PLASTIC MULCH in growing various crops, especially vegetables, has become very popular with farmers these days. This is the use of a plastic sheet installed atop the planting bed. The usual dimensions of those on the market are one meter wide and 400 meters long, currently costing about R900 to R1,000 each. Toto Barcelona of Harbest Agribusiness is the fellow we know who first introduced plastic mulching in the Philippines. He will tell you that the first shipment of 10 rolls that he brought from Taiwan in 1998 took him more than a year to sell. Today, 18 years later, he can sell one container load to just one customer. That’s how much the use of plastic mulch has become popular as a standard practice among successful farmers.

Plastic mulching has become standard practice for growing high-value vegetables.