Planning polyhouse farming in Umaria? Umaria is a small town in Umaria district, Madhya Pradesh, home to about 33,000 people (Census 2011)[1], about 670 km from Delhi. This guide works from Umaria's own monthly climate to suggest the protected structure, the crops to start with, and the months each crop is likely to do well.
Climate for polyhouse farming in Umaria
May is the hottest month in Umaria, with average daily highs of about 42°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 9°C.[2] The area gets about 1,236 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 362 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Umaria sits about 538 m above sea level.[1] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Umaria falls in the hot-summer Mediterranean zone (Csa).[3]
Umaria climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
24.9
8.5
46
20
Feb
29.0
11.9
40
21
Mar
34.2
16.9
31
21
Apr
39.7
22.7
22
13
May
42.4
27.1
24
21
Jun
37.5
26.6
52
163
Jul
30.6
23.7
82
362
Aug
29.1
23.1
88
359
Sep
29.0
21.8
85
203
Oct
28.4
18.0
73
41
Nov
26.6
13.4
61
6
Dec
24.8
9.4
54
6
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Umaria. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[2]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Umaria
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, chilli pepper can be grown for 10 months a year in Umaria, so you can supply buyers every week instead of one open-field season.
2
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.
3
Less water
Drip irrigation under cover uses less water than flood irrigation, and the roof keeps July's 362 mm of rain off the crop and the soil.
4
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.
5
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 Umaria?
For polyhouse farming in Umaria, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Umaria comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 42°C while average humidity is only about 23%. 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 February and July to November and costs less to run.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 362 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in April at about 7.0 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 February and October to November, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Umaria
Based on Umaria's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are chilli pepper (10 months), lettuce (10 months) and capsicum (8 months). Chilli pepper fits February to November with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Umaria.
Months each crop suits in Umaria
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Feb and Jul–Nov
Feb–Apr and Jul–Nov
Tomato
Feb and Jul–Nov
Feb–Apr and Jul–Nov
Cucumber
Jul–Oct
Mar–Oct
Chilli pepper
Feb and Jul–Nov
Feb–Nov
Brinjal
Jul–Oct
Mar–Oct
Lettuce
Nov–Jan
Jul–Apr
Broccoli
Difficult
Nov–Mar
Strawberry
Dec–Jan
Nov–Feb
Rose
Nov
Feb–Mar and Oct–Nov
Gerbera
Nov
Feb–Apr and Aug–Nov
Carnation
Dec–Jan
Nov–Mar
Chrysanthemum
Nov
Feb–Mar and Oct–Nov
Anthurium
Aug–Oct
Mar–Oct
Orchids
Aug–Oct
Mar–Oct
Lilium
Difficult
Nov–Mar
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.
₹5,589Spending per person per month, urban Madhya Pradesh, 2023–24[5]
670 kmto Delhi, 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] Local demand in Umaria may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Katni, about 60 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list.
Polyhouse farming in Umaria with Kryzen
We have built 8 projects in Madhya Pradesh so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Umaria is about 700 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Umaria
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Umaria:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Umaria: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Umaria?
Yes, with the right structure. For Umaria 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 Umaria?
With May highs of about 42°C and 24% 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 Umaria?
Going by the monthly climate, chilli pepper, lettuce and capsicum have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Is polyhouse farming profitable in Umaria?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Umaria, chilli pepper and lettuce 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 Umaria?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 700 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 Umaria 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.
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.
