Off-season vegetable production involves growing vegetables outside of their normal season to supply the market during periods of low availability. This is done by adjusting planting times, selecting improved varieties suited to different conditions, and creating controlled environments using structures like plastic tunnels and greenhouses. Off-season production benefits farmers through better land use, higher profits from higher prices during lean seasons, and year-round employment and income. It also ensures consumers have access to fresh vegetables year-round and increases overall vegetable production and supply.

1. MANISH DIWAN
IMPORTANCE OF OFF –SEASON VEGETABLE PRODUCTION

2. CONCEPT
• Production of fresh vegetable after or before their normal season is
called off season vegetable production.
• The objective is to produce and supply vegetable to the market during
their lean period of supply.
• Availing and using different agro climatic condition .
• Adjusting the planting time.
• Selecting improved varieties.
• Creating the controlled environment by making plastic tunnels ,
polythene house , permanent glasshouse etc.

3. Advantages of off – season vegetable production
Better utilization of land and farm resources.
Suitable for small and poor farmers.
 farmers can get the employment round the year.
Suitable for seed production .
Consumers prefer fresh vegetables even in the off season.
The farmers can get higher profits from off season production.
Proper utilization all the family members.
Helpful in solving of food production.
Source of rich protective food and it add to the nutritional security.
Sometimes it is possible to export fresh vegetable & earn foreign currency.

4. Problems of off – season vegetable production
Expensive hybrid seeds.
Lack of irrigation.
Difficulty to discard the traditional farming system.
Lack of highly specialized techniques in vegetable production.
Lack of sufficient money to construct the plastic houses .
Production cost of vegetable is higher.
It needs very regular supervision.
It needs killed knowledge than the normal season production.
Sometimes it becomes a risky operation due to possibility of incidence of
diseases and pests.
Not prioritized by the governmental and non governmental sectors.

5. Why off season vegetable production
 To increase the total vegetable production.
 To ensure year round supply of fresh vegetable.
 Manifold increase in production from same unit area .
 Ensuring better quality produce by using protected structures.
 To get more price.
 Cultivation is possible is hostile climates through protected
structures.

6. Types of off – season vegetable production
1. Natural method / open field cultivation of off season vegetables :-
Adjustment of planting / sowing time.
River – bed / Diara land cultivation.
Use of different agro climatic condition.
Summer vegetable are sown about 2 months earlier than the normal
season for early crop.
Example – onion and potato etc.
Season Sowing Harvesting
Normal season March – May June - August
Off season January - February April - June

7. 2. Protected cultivation of off – season vegetable
o cold frames
oLath house
oNet house
oGlass house
oMulching
oGreen and poly house
oPlastic tunnel – low tunnel , walk in tunnel , high tunnel
oHot beds

8. 3. Use of improved varieties with different
maturity:-
• The use of improved varieties which can avoid or
tolerate the limiting factors can prolong the
production and supply. E.g. in cauliflower, a early
cultivar i.e. Pusa Dipali becomes ready to harvest
in September when planted early.

9. 4. Use of different agro climatic conditions:-
• vegetables are grown during normal season in one climatic
region and marketed as off-season in other climatic regions.
E.g. in high altitudes the farmers produce cauliflower, cabbage,
radish, leafy vegetables and peas during summer and rainy
seasons and supply to the markets of lowers hills. Similarly, the
farmers of lower hills and terai produce tomato, brinjal, sweet
peppers and cucumber during winter and spring and supply to
the market of mid and high hills.

10. Vegetable for off season
1. Onion and Garlic
2. Chilli
3. Potato
4. Okra
5. Radish
6. Watermelon
7. Cucumber
8. Brinjal
9. tomato
10. Cauliflower
11. Cabbage