The Synthetic & Art Silk Mill’s Research Association (SASMIRA) is a Centre of Excellence for Agrotech (COE-Agrotech) designated by Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India. It is establishing a one stop solution to all, related to Agrotextiles like farmers, industrialists, academicians etc. It has made up a mission of creating awareness among the farmers about the Agrotextile products and help them in its uses, so that productivity of agricultural produce can be increased and use of scarce natural resources like water, land etc can be optimized. SASMIRA has established state of the art Testing Laboratory, Agrotextile Information & Training Center, Demonstration plant for the development of various Agrotextile products like shade-nets, mulch fabrics- woven as well as non-woven etc.
Textiles are used in farming, animal husbandry and horticulture to control environment for crop production and cattle, eliminate the variations in climate and hazards associated with weather changes, regulate nutrient level uptake by plants and also assist in the process and post harvest operations. These textiles can be termed as Agrotextiles. Volume of these special textiles called Agrotextiles is increasing day by day world-wide.
These textiles are used in Agriculture and horticulture in woven, knitted as well as nonwoven forms. These include products Shade-nets, Greenhouse films, Mulch-mats, Crop-covers, Anti-hail nets and bird protection nets, Fishing nets and their likes. India has been projected as one of the leading consumer of these specialty textiles. Currently, a major contributor to the market in this segment is fishing nets, all other products constitute only 15%.
Agrotextiles are fabrics (woven, unwoven or knitted) used in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and fishing. They can include fishnets, shades, mulch mats, thermal screens and crop covers. Common uses for agrotextiles are protecting livestock, maintaining soil humidity and temperature, eliminating the impact of pests and general shading.
It is essential that products like shade nets, anti – hail nets, bird protection nets, harvesting nets, crop covers be popularized in the country for the benefit of horticulturists and floriculturists. SASMIRA as the Centre of Excellence for Agrotextiles along with alliances is working towards the demonstration, promotion, training, testing and evaluation of Agrotextiles in the country at the behest of The Office of the Textile Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
————————————————————————————————
Mrs. Manisha A. Hira, Scientist ‘C’, SASMIRA Interacting with Visitors at Technotex-2013.
SASMIRA participated as a Centre of Excellence for Agrotech at Technotex-2013 Exhibition (17th-19th Jan 2013). Variety of Agrotextile samples like shade-nets, bird protection nets, mulch fabrics etc. were displayed during the program. A brief write-up on different Agrotextile products its uses, benefits and list of manufacturers was distributed to the visitors. Shade-net is one of most important Agrotextile which has wide array of applications. A short video film based on the applications of Agrotextiles for the farmers was shown to the visitors, apart from Agrotextiles, Information on other area of activities like R&D, Testing Services, Instrumentation & various Educational Programmes were also displayed & distributed during the program. Approximately 150 visitors-students, academicians, industrialists and potential entrepreneurs visited the SASMIRA stall. In total 90 exhibitors participated during the program.
————————————————————————————————
The Synthetic and Art Silk Mills’ Research Association
Sasmira, Sasmira Marg, Worli, Mumbai – 400 030.
Phone : +91 – 022 – 24935351-52 Fax : +91 – :022 – 24930225 E-mail : [email protected]
