Planning polyhouse farming in Shahade? Shahade is a town in Nandurbar district, Maharashtra, home to about 61,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 250 km from Ahmedabad. 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 Shahade
May is the hottest month in Shahade, with average daily highs of about 42°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 13°C.[3] The area gets about 909 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 276 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Shahade falls in the hot semi-arid zone (BSh).[4]
Shahade climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
30.9
12.9
34
2
Feb
34.3
15.8
29
3
Mar
38.2
19.7
27
6
Apr
41.9
23.5
31
4
May
42.4
25.7
42
8
Jun
36.2
25.6
66
155
Jul
31.1
24.2
84
276
Aug
29.8
23.4
87
243
Sep
30.7
22.8
85
163
Oct
32.3
20.2
69
33
Nov
32.1
16.5
55
13
Dec
31.0
13.8
42
3
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Shahade, adjusted for the town's elevation[5]. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Shahade
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, chilli pepper can be grown for the whole year in Shahade, 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 276 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.[6]
Which polyhouse suits Shahade?
For polyhouse farming in Shahade, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Shahade comes with dry air. In March to May, average highs reach 42°C while average humidity is only about 33%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 42°C May afternoon down to roughly 33°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 December to January and August to September and costs less to run.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 276 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.4 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 January, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Shahade
Based on Shahade's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are chilli pepper (all year), capsicum (11 months) and cucumber (11 months). Chilli pepper 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 Shahade.
Months each crop suits in Shahade
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Dec–Jan and Aug–Sep
Jun–Apr
Tomato
Dec–Jan and Aug–Sep
Jul–Apr
Cucumber
Jul–Dec
Feb–Dec
Chilli pepper
Jul–Jan
All year
Brinjal
Jul–Dec
Feb–Dec
Lettuce
Difficult
Jul–Mar
Broccoli
Difficult
Dec–Feb
Strawberry
Difficult
Dec–Jan
Rose
Difficult
Oct–Mar
Gerbera
Difficult
Aug–Mar
Carnation
Difficult
Dec–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Difficult
Oct–Mar
Anthurium
Aug
Feb–Apr and Jul–Nov
Orchids
Aug
Feb–Apr and Jul–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[7]
250 kmto Ahmedabad, 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.[7] Local demand in Shahade may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Dhule, about 80 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Ahmedabad is within a day's delivery, about 250 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Shahade with Kryzen
We have built 95 projects in Maharashtra so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Shahade is about 190 km in a straight line from our Nashik warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Shahade
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Shahade:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Shahade: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Shahade?
Yes, with the right structure. For Shahade 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 Shahade?
With May highs of about 42°C and 42% 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 Shahade?
Going by the monthly climate, chilli pepper, capsicum and cucumber have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Is polyhouse farming profitable in Shahade?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Shahade, chilli pepper and capsicum 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 Shahade?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Nashik warehouse, about 190 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 Shahade 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.
