With upcycling being a popular practice among eco-conscious consumers, used bottles and containers are becoming popular for growing plants, but we can add one more alternative: Grow Bags.
Grow bag is a planter filled with a growing medium that can be of various sizes, according to your space. They are made of breathable fabric that are strong and durable. Initially, grow bags were made of plastic; one can still find them in stores. However, for the best of your garden and the planet, using grow bags made of materials like jute or fabric is ideal. Over time, you can use them to the fullest and let them biodegrade once done; enriching the garden soil, even after they have stopped serving their actual purpose. Adding to that, grow bags, unlike plastic pots, do not get heated up in summers because of the breathability of the fabric.
Use in agriculture
The use of double layered agricultural grow bags is one of the major trends being witnessed in the global agricultural grow bags market 2018-2022. Double layered agricultural grow bags have two layers of growing medium compared with traditional single layered grow bags with one medium. In 2015, the vendor Dutch Plantin introduced agricultural grow bags with two layers, one layer containing coir and the other layer contains chips. The coir layer allows the horizontal spreading of roots, while the chips layer allows better drainage. Compared with other growing substrates such as rock wool, the combination of coco coir on top and cocci chips at the bottom is better at removing excess water and allowing air retention. Greenhouses particularly use double-layered grow bags, an important factor in its growing demand.
With the introduction of these agricultural grow bags, the use of coco as a substrate material for agricultural grow bags has increased. The increase in adoption of double layer agricultural grow bags is evident from the fact that Dutch Plantin had to expand its production capacity with an additional factory to meet demand. These double layered agricultural grow bags are ideal for plant growth, especially in the early growth phase. Since 2015, the use of double layered agricultural grow bags has increased among horticulture farmers in the Netherlands and Belgium, who use these to grow cucumber and bell pepper.
The market
The global agricultural grow bags market is highly fragmented with the presence of a large number of domestic and international players. Vendors in the market are listing themselves as sellers on e-commerce websites. The growing competition in the market is driving many vendors to offer differentiated products.
Technavio expects the agricultural grow bags market to grow by US$ 190.00 million between 2020 and 2025, progressing at a CAGR of almost 5% during the forecast period. It is worth noting that the Asia-Pacific dominates the grow-bag market due to agriculture being a primary source of income and sustenance in the region. Moreover, with the presence of major end use industries here, the agricultural grow bags market will experience a significant boost.
However, concerns over the environmental pollution caused by plastic agricultural grow bags will challenge the growth of the market players. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments. Improvements in precision irrigation systems is one of the prime reasons driving the agricultural grow bags market growth during the next few years.
Eco friendly grow bags made of jute and other fabric is growing in popularity in the home segment as well. In India, brands like BySmita, Oxypot, Urbano, Seed 2 Plant, Homecrop and many more are making these biodegradable, efficient plant-homes available to every home gardening enthusiast.
Feature Image Courtesy: BySmita
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