Planning polyhouse farming in Mhaswad? Mhaswad is a small town in Satara district, Maharashtra, home to about 24,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 140 km from Pune. We have used the monthly climate for Mhaswad 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 Mhaswad
April is the hottest month in Mhaswad, with average daily highs of about 40°C. December has the coolest nights, averaging 13°C.[3] The area gets about 559 mm of rain a year. The wettest months are July to September, peaking in September at about 116 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Mhaswad sits about 591 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Mhaswad falls in the hot semi-arid zone (BSh).[4]
Mhaswad climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
30.8
13.6
41
1
Feb
34.0
16.4
32
2
Mar
37.2
20.1
30
7
Apr
39.6
23.6
32
11
May
39.1
23.9
44
28
Jun
32.3
22.4
69
91
Jul
29.9
21.4
76
108
Aug
29.6
20.8
77
105
Sep
30.0
20.5
77
116
Oct
30.5
18.9
71
73
Nov
30.0
15.7
63
15
Dec
29.7
13.4
52
2
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Mhaswad. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Mhaswad
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Mhaswad, 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
With only about 559 mm of rain a year here, drip irrigation under cover saves water: less is lost to evaporation and run-off than in the open field.
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 Mhaswad?
For polyhouse farming in Mhaswad, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Mhaswad comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 40°C while average humidity is only about 38%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 40°C April afternoon down to roughly 29°C inside a Fan & Pad polyhouse, cool enough for lettuce and other leafy greens. 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.
Sunlight peaks in April at about 6.9 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 and June, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Mhaswad
Based on Mhaswad's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are capsicum (all year), tomato (all year) and chilli pepper (all year). Capsicum fits all year 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 Mhaswad.
Months each crop suits in Mhaswad
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Jul–Jan
All year
Tomato
Jul–Jan
All year
Cucumber
Jan–Feb and Jun–Nov
Jan–Nov
Chilli pepper
Jun–Jan
All year
Brinjal
Jan and Jun–Nov
Jan–Nov
Lettuce
Difficult
Jun–Apr
Broccoli
Difficult
Dec–Feb
Strawberry
Difficult
Dec–Jan
Rose
Difficult
Jul–Mar
Gerbera
Difficult
Jun–Mar
Carnation
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Difficult
Jul–Mar
Anthurium
Jul–Sep and Nov
Feb–Nov
Orchids
Jul–Sep and Nov
Feb–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]
140 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 Mhaswad may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Pune is within a day's delivery, about 140 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Mhaswad with Kryzen
We have built 95 projects in Maharashtra so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Mhaswad is about 100 km in a straight line from our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), our nearest site.
Towns near Mhaswad
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Mhaswad:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Mhaswad: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Mhaswad?
Yes, with the right structure. For Mhaswad we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in May, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Mhaswad?
With April highs of about 40°C and 32% 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 Mhaswad?
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 Mhaswad?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Mhaswad, 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 Mhaswad?
Yes. Our nearest site is our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), about 100 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 Mhaswad 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.
