Borouge improves livelihood of Indian farming community, builds 900 greenhouse

SINGAPORE, 5 December 2022: Borouge PLC (“Borouge” or “the Company”) (ADX symbol: BOROUGE / ISIN: AEE01072B225), a leading petrochemical company that provides innovative and differentiated polyolefin solutions, today announced the completion of 900 greenhouses in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan state in Northern India at a celebration event.

Held at Clarion Bella Casa Hotel on 1 December 2022, the event was attended by Dr B. R. Kadwa, Joint Director of Horticulture, Jaipur and Dr B. L. Jat Sir, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Jaipur. 

Key representatives from Borouge and its value chain partners that collaborated on the Jaipur Greenhouse project were also present. They included Synthetic Packers Private Limited, which produced the films using Borouge solutions, and Sigma Group, which distributed the films to Rama Agro India to construct the greenhouses.

These greenhouses occupy close to three million square metres at the Baseri Village in Jaipur District, about 30 kilometres northwest of Jaipur’s city centre. Construction works began around four years ago, with the first small batch of greenhouses commencing operations in the second quarter of 2019 for pioneer farmers to test the concept using Borouge’s Borstar FB1200, a bimodal polyethylene designed for agriculture films.

Borstar FB1200’s unique properties are produced specially for agriculture films to improve crop quality and yield. Produced using the proprietary Borstar® bimodal technology, FB1200 has superior properties such as:

• Unique matte surface to enable better diffusion of sunlight and photosynthesis to improve the quality and quantity of crop yields
• Excellent mechanical strength and toughness at regular as well as low temperatures, allowing the films to withstand higher wind speeds compared to traditional films
• Superior melt strength and bubble stability, enabling the production of broader diameter greenhouse films up to 11 metres

As Jaipur is located in the semi-arid zone of India, it typically faces high temperatures, low rainfall, and a mild winter. With no rivers directly passing through Rajasthan and a low precipitation of only 600 millimetres annually, Jaipur experiences water scarcity issues. Hence, water found in ponds and lakes is precious. This challenging geographical climate made it crucial to ensure 100% of water could be collected during the farming process.

Jaipur’s project also includes solutions beyond greenhouses, and comprises Borouge’s full suite of agriculture grades, namely:

• Borstar FB1200 (primary grade) for the main greenhouse rooftop films for rainwater collection; mulch films for effective weed management
• Borstar HE1440 and Borstar LE2270 for drip irrigation and the distribution of water and nutrients to crops in a controlled manner
• Borstar HE1440 and Borstar FB1200 for aqua pond liners to collect and store rainwater. It is also more resistant to punctures and tears to prevent contamination, and prevent water from evaporating and drying up

Enabling Richer Harvests

Borouge provided materials for over 90 percent of the films used for these 900 greenhouses. Each greenhouse ranges from 2,000 to 4,000 square metres in size, and construction of more greenhouses is ongoing in Jaipur, where about 10 greenhouses can be built each month.

Babulal Nahariya, the first farmer in the Jaipur trial who grew his crops in a greenhouse built using Borstar FB1200, said: “Since I started a trial for my crops in the greenhouse, my farming productivity and crop yield has increased by almost 25 percent, as I am now able to grow crops in all seasons and harvest up to three crop cycles a year. I can also sell my crops at a higher price, as the quality of my crops is better and healthier, with the films allowing for even dispersion and distribution of sunlight onto all my crops.”

Beharuramji Chaudhary, another pioneer farmer, added: “The films are stronger than those we used previously, and do not tear as easily even when there are strong winds. As each greenhouse is now equipped with rainwater harvesting technology on their rooftops, there are minimal water leakages back to the ground, and I am now able to collect and use most of the water for my crops.  Amid local climate challenges, my income increased by more than 200 percent. I am extremely pleased with the results and have recommended Borouge’s solutions to other farmers in my community.”

Youssef Taha, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Innovation for Borouge, said: “Borouge contributes to the well-being of society and the preservation of the environment, while addressing global megatrends such as food security, climate change, and water scarcity. Our differentiated and innovative suite of agriculture solutions has enabled precision farming to improve productivity, and hence the livelihoods of farmers. Borouge is committed to developing our agriculture business in India, whilst also ensuring we are providing sustainable solutions for India’s farming community, where agriculture is the primary source of income for majority of the population.”

By sharing its technical know-how and educating locals on how technological advancements can assist them in boosting productivity, Borouge aims to improve farmers’ livelihoods in rural communities with its innovative, sustainable agriculture solutions. Following the success of this initial greenhouse project in Jaipur, plans are underway to scale up operations with support from government authorities, as well as local communities, to expand the reach of farmers and coverage areas in India.