Planning polyhouse farming in Akot? Akot is a town in Akola district, Maharashtra, home to about 93,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 440 km from Hyderabad. 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 Akot
May is the hottest month in Akot, with average daily highs of about 43°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 13°C.[3] The area gets about 931 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 264 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Akot sits about 345 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Akot falls in the tropical savanna (dry summer) zone (As).[4]
Akot climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
29.8
12.8
37
9
Feb
33.7
16.2
28
6
Mar
37.7
20.1
25
16
Apr
41.9
24.7
21
8
May
43.3
27.7
27
13
Jun
36.5
26.0
59
155
Jul
30.9
23.5
80
264
Aug
29.4
22.7
85
226
Sep
30.0
22.2
83
172
Oct
30.6
19.2
72
45
Nov
30.2
15.6
61
14
Dec
29.6
12.9
46
3
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Akot. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Akot
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, capsicum can be grown for 11 months a year in Akot, 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 264 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 Maharashtra can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[5]
Which polyhouse suits Akot?
For polyhouse farming in Akot, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Akot comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 43°C while average humidity is only about 24%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 43°C May afternoon down to roughly 31°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 January and costs less to run.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 264 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.2 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 Akot
Based on Akot's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are capsicum (11 months), chilli pepper (11 months) and tomato (10 months). Capsicum fits June to April 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 Akot.
Months each crop suits in Akot
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Jul–Jan
Jun–Apr
Tomato
Jul–Jan
Jul–Apr
Cucumber
Feb and Jul–Nov
Feb–Nov
Chilli pepper
Jul–Jan
Jun–Apr
Brinjal
Jul–Nov
Feb–Apr and Jun–Nov
Lettuce
Difficult
Jul–Mar
Broccoli
Difficult
Dec–Feb
Strawberry
Difficult
Dec–Jan
Rose
Difficult
Oct–Mar
Gerbera
Difficult
Jul–Mar
Carnation
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Difficult
Oct–Mar
Anthurium
Aug–Sep
Feb–Apr and Jun–Nov
Orchids
Aug–Sep
Feb–Apr and Jun–Nov
Lilium
Difficult
Dec–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.
₹7,415Spending per person per month, urban Maharashtra, 2023–24[6]
440 kmto Hyderabad, the nearest metro (straight line)
Urban households in Maharashtra spent an average of ₹7,415 per person per month in 2023–24, above the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Akot may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Akola, about 40 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list.
Polyhouse farming in Akot with Kryzen
We have built 95 projects in Maharashtra so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Akot is about 220 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Akot
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Akot:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Akot: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Akot?
Yes, with the right structure. For Akot we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in April to June, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Akot?
With May highs of about 43°C and 27% 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 Akot?
Going by the monthly climate, capsicum, chilli pepper and tomato have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Is polyhouse farming profitable in Akot?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Akot, capsicum 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 Akot?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 220 km away, and we have built 95 projects in Maharashtra.
Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Maharashtra?
Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Maharashtra 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 Akot 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.
