Polyhouse farming · Madhya Pradesh

Polyhouse Farming in Indore

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

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 5 min read

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

Planning polyhouse farming in Indore? Indore is a city of about 19.9 lakh people (Census 2011) in Indore district, Madhya Pradesh[1], about 340 km from Ahmedabad. We have used the monthly climate for Indore 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 Indore

May is the hottest month in Indore, with average daily highs of about 42°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 11°C.[2] The area gets about 922 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 288 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Indore sits about 553 m above sea level.[1] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Indore falls in the tropical savanna (dry summer) zone (As).[3]

Indore climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan27.810.7365
Feb31.713.8283
Mar36.318.4237
Apr40.823.3214
May42.326.43011
Jun36.725.558129
Jul30.823.480288
Aug29.022.687275
Sep29.821.783158
Oct30.818.56726
Nov29.714.85512
Dec28.111.7434
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Indore. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[2]

Advantages of protected cultivation in Indore

  • Year-round crops

    Under cover, capsicum can be grown for 11 months a year in Indore, 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 288 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 (July to September), so you spray less often.

  • Subsidy eligible

    Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Madhya Pradesh can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[4]

Which polyhouse suits Indore?

For polyhouse farming in Indore, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Indore comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 42°C while average humidity is only about 26%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 42°C May afternoon down to roughly 30°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 July to December and costs less to run.

Protected structures to compare

Plan for heavy rain in July (about 288 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 Indore

Based on Indore's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are capsicum (11 months), tomato (11 months) and chilli pepper (11 months). Capsicum fits February to December with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Indore.

Months each crop suits in Indore

CropNaturally ventilated polyhouseWith Fan & Pad cooling
CapsicumJul–DecFeb–Dec
TomatoJul–JanJun–Apr
CucumberFeb and Jul–NovFeb–Nov
Chilli pepperFeb and Jul–DecFeb–Dec
BrinjalFeb and Jul–NovFeb–Nov
LettuceJanJul–Apr
BroccoliDifficultNov–Feb
StrawberryDifficultNov–Feb
RoseJanOct–Mar
GerberaJanJul–Apr
CarnationDifficultNov–Feb
ChrysanthemumJanOct–Mar
AnthuriumAug–SepMar–Oct
OrchidsAug–SepMar–Oct
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 Indore

Selling your harvest in and around Indore

19.9 lakhPeople in Indore (Census 2011)[1]
₹5,589Spending per person per month, urban Madhya Pradesh, 2023–24[5]
340 kmto Ahmedabad, the nearest metro (straight line)

Urban households in Madhya Pradesh spent an average of ₹5,589 per person per month in 2023–24, below the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[5] A city of this size has hotels, restaurants, modern retail and quick-commerce stores within its own limits, so most harvests can be sold locally. Line up two or three buyers before planting and agree on grade and delivery days.

Polyhouse farming in Indore with Kryzen

We have built 8 projects in Madhya Pradesh so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Indore is about 320 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.

Towns near Indore

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

Map of Madhya Pradesh

Check other locations in Madhya Pradesh

We have farm planning pages for 86 towns in Madhya Pradesh, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All Madhya Pradesh locations

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

Polyhouse farming in Indore: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Indore?

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

Which polyhouse is best for Indore?

With May highs of about 42°C and 30% 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 Indore?

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

Is polyhouse farming profitable in Indore?

It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Indore, capsicum and tomato 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 Indore?

Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 320 km away, and we have built 8 projects in Madhya Pradesh.

Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Madhya Pradesh?

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