Ag Plastics Use Grows Throughout World
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
HERSHEY (Dauphin Co.)
Use of plastics in agricul
ture has increased about 60
percent in less than a decade,
according to a plasticulture
expert.
Jean-Pierre Jouet, general
secretary of the International
Congress for Plastics In Agri
culture (CIPA), said that in
1991, about 1.145 million
cubic metric tons of plastic
were in use in the world.
By 1999, that number had
risen to 2.847 million cubic
metric tons.
Jouet spoke on the first of
a two-day 15th International
Congress for Plastics In Agri
culture at the Hershey Lodge
and Convention Center, Her
shey, at the end of Septem
ber.
Simultaneously, because of
improved plastics engineer
ing and production, energy
consumption in greenhouse
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and other areas has been re
duced by 90 percent, noted
Gene Giacomelli, professor at
the University of Arizona at
Tucson.
According to Giacomelli,
since the last international
congress was hosted in the
U.S. the seventh congress
in San Diego in 1977 the
energy reduction has
amounted to about 90 per
cent through adaptation and
further refinement of ag plas
tics technology.
And we did all that, he
said, during a national
energy crisis.
“If we had another energy
crisis, could we reduce this
further?” noted Giacomelli.
“Our predecessors had it
easy. This becomes a major
challenge.”
Since 1977, energy require
ments have been reduced to
1.1 liter from 9.9 liters. That
1.1 liters or less represents .2
gallons per square foot.
AGRI-LOADER DEALER
In 1977, according to
Giacomelli, San Diego
County, Calif., was the larg
est user of ag plastics in the
U.S., with more than three
quarters used for irrigation
and water-related needs.
Today, plastic polymers
for all forms of irrigation are
prevalent throughout the
U.S. and the world.
In the world, low tunnels
make up 402,000 hectares or
992,940 acres, according to
Jouet. In 1991, for the U.S.,
that represented only 3,400
hectares, which grew to 5,000
hectares or 12,350 acres, by
1999. Africa uses 80,000 hec
tares or 197,600 acres. But
the largest user is Asia, at
170,000 hectares or 419,900
acres.
Direct covers make up
86,000 hectares in the world.
More direct covers are used
in Europe than any other
part of the world, noted
Jouet, at 60,000 hectares or
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Grower and Marketer, Lancaster Firming, Saturday, December 9, 2000-Page
148,200 acres.
Mulch uses for plastic in
the world comprise 4.53 mil
lion hectares or 11.19 million
acres. The U.S. only uses
75.000 hectares, about
185,250 acres. China makes
up 44 percent of total world
plastic mulching use, maybe
even more, noted Jouet, at 2
million hectares (4.94 million
acres).
Plastic for silages and
other material, including
wraps and bags, amounts to
540.000 metric tons. The U.S.
uses 300,000 metric tons.
Europe uses about 190,000
metric tons.
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In the world, hydroponics
comprises about 17,900 hec
tares or 44,213 acres. U.S.
only has about 250 hectares
or about 617 acres in hydro
ponics.
Microirrigation plastic use
in the world encompasses 2.5
million hectares or 6.17 mil
lion acres. The U.S. has about
1.076 million hectares or
about 2.65 million acres.
About 204,000 metric tons
of plastic for twine hay and
straw are used in the world.
Other application of plastic
for screens, nets, windbreaks,
and other uses comprises
24,000 metric tons, noted
Jouet.
The two-day conference
included about 266 registered
from agriplastic industries
and organizations through
out the world. Demonstra
tions were conducted at the
Milton Hershey School Horti
cultural Center the Sunday
before.
197