Greenhouse cultivation is rising in China. In general, methods remain diverse and simple but modem glasshouse structures are starting to make their mark in the industry. Greenhouse horticulture in China has experienced fast growth over the last decades. In the early 1980' s the protected cultivated area was less than 10,000 ha and now it is about 2 million ha (small tunnels included) making it the largest area of protected cultivation in the world, Almost the complete protected cultivated area is used for vegetable production although the ornamental sector is also growing. The fast expansion of greenhouse horticulture in China can be explained by several factors: it permits crops to be grown in the more Northern parts of China (e.g. Shandong or Liaoning provinces or the Beijing municipality) during the winter when market prices of vegetables are higher and it permits higher yields/quality compared to open-field cultivation. Moreover, the simplicity of the structures used (low and high plastic tunnels or solar greenhouses) and the use of locally available cheap construction materials make it easy for farmers to built their own greenhouses. The expansion of protected cultivation was also facilitated by the manufacturing of plastic films in China since the 60-70s.
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