Yes, Indian suppliers make a full range of agro textiles, and Gujarat in particular has a cluster of plants producing HDPE shade nets in various shade percentages, mulch film, anti-hail and insect nets, crop covers and ground cover fabric. Much of this capacity grew out of the same polymer and weaving base that supports the FIBC and PP sack industry, so the raw material supply and extrusion know-how are already in place. For a buyer the task is matching the product to the plant, since few plants make everything.
The products split into two families: knitted or woven nets made from HDPE tape or monofilament, and films made by blown extrusion. The plants, the machines and the quality checks differ between the two.
Nets and woven products
- Shade nets: HDPE knitted nets offered in a range of shade percentages, from light shade to very heavy shade, with UV stabilisation for a stated service life, in green, black, white and other colours.
- Anti-hail nets: lighter nets, usually white or transparent, with a mesh fine enough to stop hail and strong enough to carry a load of ice.
- Insect nets: fine mesh nets, specified by mesh count, used on greenhouse vents and as crop tunnels.
- Ground cover and weed mat: woven PP fabric, usually black with marker lines, that lets water through but blocks light.
- Crop covers and bird nets: lightweight nets and nonwovens for frost protection and fruit protection.
Films
Mulch film is produced on blown film lines in black, silver on black, white on black and clear, in a range of thicknesses and widths, with UV stabilisation matched to the growing season. Some plants also make greenhouse film, silage film and pond liner on the same lines. For film the critical checks are thickness uniformity, width, roll length and the UV package, since a film that fails mid season is expensive to replace in the field.
What to check before you buy
Ask the plant which products it makes on its own machines and which it buys in from others, since trading is common in this sector and it affects consistency. Ask for the UV stabiliser dosage and the expected service life in your climate, with test data where available. For nets, ask for the shade percentage test method and the weight per square metre, and for film, ask for a thickness report across the roll width.
Packing matters as well. Nets are usually rolled on cores and wrapped, and film rolls need protection from crushing in the container. Agree the roll length and the number of rolls per container so you are not surprised by short rolls or an unexpectedly bulky shipment.
What Creston & Co does
We visit the plants, confirm what is made in house, check the UV and weight data against your specification, and send sealed samples to an NABL-accredited laboratory where a service life claim needs backing. We inspect before shipment, supervise loading and keep you updated weekly. If you are adding agro textiles to an existing packaging purchase from India, a free 20-minute sourcing review will show you whether the same region can cover both.