The spread of plastic in agriculture

The spread of plastic in agriculture was a silent transformation that revolutionized farming in recent decades. From the 50s onwards, the continuous evolution of plastic technology led to a growth in global demand for the product of around 10% per year. In 1950, plastic production on the planet was around 1,3 million tons and at the beginning of the 225st century it reached the mark of XNUMX million tons per year. Plastic has desirable characteristics in several segments – such as lightness, strength, malleability and low cost – characteristics also demanded in AGRICULTURE.

Global consumption of plastics in agriculture already exceeds the barrier of 6,5 million tons. It began in 1948 in the United States, then in Japan – at first it was only used to cover greenhouses. Currently, plastic material has completely replaced other types of materials in several functions, such as glass in the lining of greenhouses and straw in the covering of silage.

Agricultural Applications for Plastic

Since the mid-20th century, the progressive use of plastic film in agriculture has been reported throughout the world. Some of the benefits obtained from using plastic material in the field result in increased yield, reduced need for herbicides and pesticides, protection against frost and water conservation. Plastic is still essential for preserving, transporting, packaging and selling agribusiness products.

Plastic has provided more efficient use of agricultural land, crop quality and a healthier environment. Furthermore, plastics-based agricultural systems create effective solutions for growing crops in a number of ways: in arid regions, for example, hydroponic irrigation, piping and drainage systems can reduce costs by up to two-thirds, and new techniques are capable of double the harvest yield.

In Brazil, the plastics market used for Agribusiness involves thousands of tons of material per year. Below we list the most used agricultural applications in the Brazilian market, which involve PLASTIC:

Agricultural Greenhouse Films: transparent plastic for agricultural covers that require a lot of light, such as a tent for vegetable farming, vegetable gardens, hydroponic lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, coffee, flowers. Manufactured with anti-UV protection for use in nurseries, which provides a longer useful life of the material. Untreated plastics corrode and break down over time and are sensitive to inputs used in farming such as vegetables, vegetables such as hydroponics lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, coffee, flowers.

Silage Tarps: Generally produced in double sides (black and white), they are manufactured to optimize the silage of agricultural trenches for forage, grains, grass, corn, sorghum and sugarcane, among others. Produced to stimulate the fermentation of the stored product, they deliver the best nutritional supplement for livestock. Silage tarpaulins are produced with low-density polyethylene with anti-UV protection additives. The white face must be exposed to the sun to reflect heat. Advantages: After application of the inoculant, there is a reduction in losses of valuable nutritional elements, due to the action of microorganisms, fermentation with a higher percentage of proteins, reduction in moisture loss causing excessive increase in temperature, greater resistance to handling, bending and durability .

Excavated Tank Lining: The construction of fish ponds is part of the fish farming activity. The use of plastic materials in the coating guarantees the tank’s waterproofing. Through waterproofing, water can be stored, enabling crops such as fish farming such as tilapia, shrimp - shrimp farming, fry, irrigation, canvas breeding facilities for fish farming, dam and reservoir. The tank or artificial lake is still used for maintaining breeding stock, raising fry or fattening fish such as tilapia and arapaima.

Mulching Technique: The plastic mulching film for soil coverage is used to combat weeds in the bed, minimizes the use of agricultural pesticides and anticipates the harvest with increased productivity. Mulching creates a barrier that prevents evaporation and plastic film has become the most used technique in growing vegetables (cabbage, lettuce) and fruits (tomatoes, strawberries, pineapple and melon), for example. Studies indicate a 60% reduction in the use of herbicides, a 50% reduction in the need for irrigation and an 18% increase in productivity when the mulching film is applied to the vegetable garden compared to a conventional planting area.

Reusing Chicken Litter: The application of plastic canvas in the process of reusing chicken litter from one batch to another generates excellent results for the poultry farmer. This practice has two very important aspects: sanitary - reduction of pathological agents, and environmental - reduction of material disposal in the environment.

The use of PLASTIC CANVAS in agriculture goes far beyond the examples mentioned. It is important for farmers to understand and adapt to new techniques that allow them to produce more, with better quality, maximizing the return on invested capital. The market is global and competitiveness is increasing. Plastic material, despite not having the commercial appeal of a harvester or genetically improved seeds, is an important part of this revolution that contributes to making Brazil the agricultural powerhouse.

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