Polyhouse farming · Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

Polyhouse Farming in Silvassa

Monthly climate, crop windows and nearby markets for a polyhouse farm in Silvassa, with Fan & Pad for greens, natural ventilation for vine crops.

Sudhir Devkar, founder of Kryzen Biotech

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 6 min read

Polyhouse farming in Silvassa: aerial view of a large protected cultivation farm with polyhouses

Planning polyhouse farming in Silvassa? Silvassa is a town in Dadra and Nagar Haveli district, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, home to about 98,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 130 km from Mumbai. Below we use the town's monthly temperatures, humidity and rainfall to work out which structure fits, which crops to grow and in which months, before you spend on construction.

Climate for polyhouse farming in Silvassa

April is the hottest month in Silvassa, with average daily highs of about 39°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 15°C.[3] The area gets about 2,021 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 678 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in June to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Silvassa sits about 32 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Silvassa falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]

Silvassa climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan31.514.9381
Feb33.716.7383
Mar36.819.7413
Apr39.022.5503
May37.825.0599
Jun32.425.877415
Jul28.724.889678
Aug28.124.090511
Sep29.123.388323
Oct31.421.07259
Nov32.518.25612
Dec32.016.2434
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Silvassa. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]

Advantages of protected cultivation in Silvassa

  • Year-round crops

    Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Silvassa, so you can supply buyers every week instead of one open-field season.

  • Better yield and price

    Plants grow without rain, hail and wind damage, so yields are higher and more even, and clean, graded produce sells at a better price, especially off-season.

  • Less water

    Drip irrigation under cover uses less water than flood irrigation, and the roof keeps July's 678 mm of rain off the crop and the soil.

  • Less pesticides

    Insect net on vents and doors keeps out most pests, and controlled ventilation helps with leaf disease in the humid months (June to September), so you spray less often.

  • Subsidy eligible

    Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[5]

Which polyhouse suits Silvassa?

For polyhouse farming in Silvassa, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. Average highs stay at 33°C or more in February to May, with moderate humidity of about 47%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 39°C April afternoon down to roughly 32°C inside a Fan & Pad polyhouse, which keeps herbs and vine crops going; lettuce will still struggle in the hottest weeks. Capsicum, cucumber and tomato do well in a naturally ventilated polyhouse with a shade screen. If you want one structure, decide by crop: greens all year point to Fan & Pad; vine crops point to a naturally ventilated house.

Protected structures to compare

Plan for heavy rain in July (about 678 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.3 kWh per m² a day, so add a shade screen for leafy greens in the brightest months. A nethouse, the lowest-cost option, can grow hardy crops in October to February, when it is mild and fairly dry.

Crops for Silvassa

Based on Silvassa's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are capsicum (all year), cucumber (all year) and chilli pepper (all year). Capsicum fits all year with Fan & Pad cooling. Strawberry is hard to time here, so we would leave it out of the first season. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Silvassa.

Months each crop suits in Silvassa

CropNaturally ventilated polyhouseWith Fan & Pad cooling
CapsicumJul–SepAll year
TomatoJul–SepJul–May
CucumberJun–FebAll year
Chilli pepperJun–JanAll year
BrinjalJun–JanAll year
LettuceDifficultAug–Mar
BroccoliDifficultDec–Feb
StrawberryDifficultJan
RoseDifficultOct–Mar
GerberaDifficultSep–Mar
CarnationDifficultDec–Feb
ChrysanthemumDifficultOct–Mar
AnthuriumJul–SepFeb–Mar and Jun–Dec
OrchidsJul–SepFeb–Mar and Jun–Dec
LiliumDifficultDec–Feb
Kryzen planning estimate from the monthly averages above and each crop's usual day and night temperature range. Variety, soil or substrate temperature and shading change the result, so confirm with a trial.

Suggested crops for Silvassa

Selling your harvest in and around Silvassa

98,000People in Silvassa (GeoNames)[1]
₹6,876Spending per person per month, urban Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, 2023–24[6]
130 kmto Mumbai, the nearest metro (straight line)

Urban households in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu spent an average of ₹6,876 per person per month in 2023–24, below the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Silvassa may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Mumbai is within a day's delivery, about 130 km away.

Polyhouse farming in Silvassa with Kryzen

Silvassa is about 90 km in a straight line from our Nashik warehouse, our nearest site.

Towns near Silvassa

We also plan and build farms in these towns near Silvassa:

Map of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

Check other locations in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

We have farm planning pages for 1 town in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu locations

Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.

Polyhouse farming in Silvassa: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Silvassa?

Yes, with the right structure. For Silvassa we would plan Fan & Pad cooling for leafy greens and a naturally ventilated polyhouse for vine crops. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in April to July, so plan another crop for those months.

Which polyhouse is best for Silvassa?

With April highs of about 39°C and 50% average humidity in that month, we would start with Fan & Pad cooling for leafy greens and a naturally ventilated polyhouse for vine crops.

Which crops should I grow in a polyhouse in Silvassa?

Going by the monthly climate, capsicum, cucumber and chilli pepper have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.

Is polyhouse farming profitable in Silvassa?

It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Silvassa, capsicum and cucumber have the longest seasons under cover. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers first; our Detailed Project Report works out the cost, yield and returns for your plot.

Does Kryzen build polyhouses in Silvassa?

Yes. Our nearest site is our Nashik warehouse, about 90 km away.

Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu?

Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department. Check the current rate and area limit when you apply.

Discuss your Silvassa farm project

Share your plot location, water test and crop targets. We will suggest the right structure and growing system, and send an itemised quotation.

Sudhir Devkar

Sudhir Devkar

Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

A computer engineer turned hydroponic farmer from a multigenerational farming family in Satara. Sudhir founded Kryzen in 2019, and the team has since built 350+ protected and hydroponic farms across India.

Sources

  1. GeoNames · Geographical database: populated places of India (opens in a new tab)
  2. Wikipedia · Silvassa (opens in a new tab)
  3. NASA Langley Research Center · POWER Climatology API: long-term monthly averages (opens in a new tab)
  4. Rubel & Kottek, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna · World map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification (opens in a new tab)
  5. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare · Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) (opens in a new tab)
  6. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) · Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023–24: press note (opens in a new tab)