Investigation And Analysis Of Production Efficiency Of Fruits And Vegetables In Solar Greenhouse In Hami City

?Object?The efficiency of different modes of fruit and vegetable production in solar greenhouses is unclear.The objectives of this study were(i)to analyze the factors affecting vegetable and fruit production in solar greenhouses near Hami,Xinjiang Province,China(ii)to discuss the problems facing growers who use solar greenhouses,and(iii)to make suggests about how these problems can be overcome so as to improve production efficiency.The results of this study should be helpful for promoting the sustainable development of the solar greenhouse industry in Hami.?Method?Questionnaires were used to gather information from farmers and farm managers who were producing fruit and vegetables in solar greenhouses near Hami.Additional information was collected during follow-up field visits.The information was then analyzed to compared the economic benefits of different production modes in solar greenhouses.?Result?The survey results showed that the“bean+eggplant+bean”rotation was the most economically efficient production system in solar greenhouses.The rotation had an average output value of 18513 yuan/667m~2.If the average person managed 3 acres of solar greenhouses,the per capita annual income from vegetables grown in the greenhouses would range between 31,535 and 55,542 yuan.Strawberries were more profitable than other kinds of fruit in solar greenhouses.The income from‘Sweet Charley'strawberry(soil cultivated)reached 54000 yuan/667m~2.The second most profitable strawberry cultivar was‘Zhang Ji'(45,000 yuan/667 m~2).Two other profitable fruit crops were 4-year-old flat nectarine(36,000 yuan/667 m~2)and 4-year-old yellow nectarine(30,000 yuan/667 m~2).Cherry growers reported annual losses of2328 yuan/667 m~2 during the last four years.Agricultural tourism(i.e,opening the greenhouses to tourists)integrates economic,social,and ecological benefits.When combined with agricultural tourism,farmers realized a profit of 60,000 yuan/667 m~2 from the soilless cultivation of‘Zhang Ji'strawberry and a profit of 50,000 yuan/667m~2 from the soilless cultivation of cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.Solar greenhouses in Hami are unable to meet consumer demands in winter.?Conclusion?The economic benefits were significantly greater when solar greenhouses were used during three seasons of the year in Hami rather than two seasons or one-long season.The efficiency of fruit production is relatively good in solar greenhouses.The work is not labor intense,but it does require high technical ability and relatively large initial input.Agricultural tourism in solar greenhouses has good development potential.Some suggestions are(i)effective control cost,promote farmer income growth,(ii)optimize planting structure and improve fruit and vegetable quality continuously,(iii)increase credit support and intensify the introduction and promotion of technology.