Polyhouse farming · Gujarat

Polyhouse Farming in Viramgam

Monthly climate, crop windows and nearby markets for a polyhouse farm in Viramgam, with Fan & Pad cooling for dry summer heat.

Sudhir Devkar, founder of Kryzen Biotech

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 5 min read

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

Planning polyhouse farming in Viramgam? Viramgam is a town in Ahmedabad district, Gujarat, home to about 56,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 50 km from Ahmedabad. We have used the monthly climate for Viramgam to plan a structure, a growing system and a crop calendar, so you can compare them with your own plot and buyers.

Climate for polyhouse farming in Viramgam

May is the hottest month in Viramgam, with average daily highs of about 43°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 11°C.[3] The area gets about 701 mm of rain a year, most of it in July to September, peaking in July at about 233 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in August to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Viramgam sits about 32 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Viramgam falls in the hot semi-arid zone (BSh).[4]

Viramgam climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan28.510.7321
Feb32.313.8281
Mar37.218.8274
Apr41.523.4313
May43.226.3404
Jun39.427.85591
Jul34.325.973233
Aug32.424.580226
Sep33.223.876121
Oct34.620.95811
Nov32.316.5455
Dec29.112.1381
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Viramgam. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]

Advantages of protected cultivation in Viramgam

  • Year-round crops

    Under cover, cucumber can be grown for 10 months a year in Viramgam, 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 233 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 (August to September), so you spray less often.

  • Subsidy eligible

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

Which polyhouse suits Viramgam?

For polyhouse farming in Viramgam, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Viramgam comes with dry air. In April to June, average highs reach 43°C while average humidity is only about 42%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 43°C May afternoon down to roughly 34°C inside a Fan & Pad polyhouse, which keeps herbs and vine crops going; lettuce will still struggle in the hottest weeks. For vine crops such as capsicum and cucumber, a naturally ventilated polyhouse with a shade screen works from December and costs less to run.

Protected structures to compare

Plan for heavy rain in July (about 233 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.5 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 November to February, when it is mild and fairly dry.

Crops for Viramgam

Based on Viramgam's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are cucumber (10 months), chilli pepper (10 months) and capsicum (9 months). Cucumber fits February to November with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Viramgam.

Months each crop suits in Viramgam

CropNaturally ventilated polyhouseWith Fan & Pad cooling
CapsicumDecFeb–Apr and Jul–Dec
TomatoDec–JanAug–Apr
CucumberFeb, Aug–Sep and NovFeb–Nov
Chilli pepperFeb, Aug and Nov–DecFeb–May and Jul–Dec
BrinjalFeb, Aug and NovFeb–May and Jul–Nov
LettuceDifficultOct–Apr
BroccoliDifficultNov–Feb
StrawberryDifficultDec–Feb
RoseDifficultOct–Mar
GerberaDifficultOct–Apr
CarnationDifficultNov–Feb
ChrysanthemumDifficultOct–Mar
AnthuriumDifficultMar–Apr and Jul–Nov
OrchidsDifficultMar–Apr and Jul–Nov
LiliumDifficultNov–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 Viramgam

Selling your harvest in and around Viramgam

56,000People in Viramgam (GeoNames)[1]
₹7,198Spending per person per month, urban Gujarat, 2023–24[6]
50 kmto Ahmedabad, the nearest metro (straight line)

Urban households in Gujarat spent an average of ₹7,198 per person per month in 2023–24, close to the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Viramgam may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Ahmedabad, about 60 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Ahmedabad is within a day's delivery, about 50 km away.

Polyhouse farming in Viramgam with Kryzen

We have built 12 projects in Gujarat so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Viramgam is about 390 km in a straight line from our Nashik warehouse, our nearest site.

Towns near Viramgam

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

Map of Gujarat

Check other locations in Gujarat

We have farm planning pages for 75 towns in Gujarat, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All Gujarat locations

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

Polyhouse farming in Viramgam: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Viramgam?

Yes, with the right structure. For Viramgam we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in May to September, so plan another crop for those months.

Which polyhouse is best for Viramgam?

With May highs of about 43°C and 40% average humidity in that month, we would start with a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens.

Which crops should I grow in a polyhouse in Viramgam?

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

Is polyhouse farming profitable in Viramgam?

It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Viramgam, cucumber and chilli pepper 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 Viramgam?

Yes. Our nearest site is our Nashik warehouse, about 390 km away, and we have built 12 projects in Gujarat.

Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Gujarat?

Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Gujarat 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 Viramgam 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 · Viramgam (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)