Planning polyhouse farming in Mahad? Mahad is a small town in Raigad district, Maharashtra, home to about 28,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 70 km from Pune. 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 Mahad
April is the hottest month in Mahad, with average daily highs of about 36°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 18°C.[3] The area gets about 2,328 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to October, peaking in July at about 722 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in June to October, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Mahad sits about 25 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Mahad falls in the tropical monsoon zone (Am).[4]
Mahad climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
30.2
18.0
58
1
Feb
32.3
19.6
54
1
Mar
34.5
21.8
54
5
Apr
35.7
23.9
59
5
May
34.3
25.9
67
42
Jun
30.2
26.3
82
521
Jul
28.0
25.4
89
722
Aug
27.5
24.8
89
525
Sep
28.2
24.4
88
341
Oct
30.1
23.3
79
140
Nov
30.0
20.9
71
21
Dec
29.8
18.9
64
4
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Mahad. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Mahad
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Mahad, 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 722 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 (June to October), 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 Mahad?
For polyhouse farming in Mahad, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. Average highs stay at 33°C or more in March to May, with moderate humidity of about 60%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 36°C April 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. 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.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 722 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in April at about 7.1 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 Mahad
Based on Mahad'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. Lilium and carnation are hard to time here, so we would leave them out of the first season. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Mahad.
Months each crop suits in Mahad
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Jun–Jan
All year
Tomato
Jul–Jan
Jul–Apr
Cucumber
Jun–Feb
All year
Chilli pepper
Jun–Feb
All year
Brinjal
Jun–Feb
All year
Lettuce
Difficult
Sep–Mar
Broccoli
Difficult
Difficult
Strawberry
Difficult
Difficult
Rose
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Gerbera
Difficult
Oct–Mar
Carnation
Difficult
Difficult
Chrysanthemum
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Anthurium
Jul–Sep and Nov–Dec
All year
Orchids
Jul–Sep and Nov–Dec
All year
Lilium
Difficult
Difficult
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]
70 kmto Pune, 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 Mahad may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Pune, about 70 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Pune is within a day's delivery, about 70 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Mahad with Kryzen
We have built 95 projects in Maharashtra so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Mahad is about 50 km in a straight line from our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), our nearest site.
Towns near Mahad
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Mahad:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Mahad: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Mahad?
Yes, with the right structure. For Mahad 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 August, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Mahad?
With April highs of about 36°C and 59% 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 Mahad?
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 Mahad?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Mahad, 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 Mahad?
Yes. Our nearest site is our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), about 50 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 Mahad 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.
