Planning polyhouse farming in Shirdi? Shirdi is a small town in Ahilyanagar district, Maharashtra, home to about 36,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 150 km from Pune. We have used the monthly climate for Shirdi 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 Shirdi
April is the hottest month in Shirdi, with average daily highs of about 40°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 12°C.[3] The area gets about 860 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 221 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Shirdi sits about 504 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Shirdi falls in the hot semi-arid zone (BSh).[4]
Shirdi climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
29.5
12.1
39
1
Feb
32.9
14.9
30
3
Mar
36.3
18.3
28
8
Apr
39.6
21.7
29
5
May
39.5
22.9
43
12
Jun
32.7
22.7
70
151
Jul
28.8
21.7
82
221
Aug
27.9
20.9
85
196
Sep
28.4
20.5
84
178
Oct
29.1
18.2
73
61
Nov
29.0
15.0
62
21
Dec
28.8
12.6
49
3
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Shirdi. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Shirdi
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Shirdi, 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 221 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 Shirdi?
For polyhouse farming in Shirdi, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Shirdi comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 40°C while average humidity is only about 36%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 40°C April afternoon down to roughly 28°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.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 221 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.3 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 Shirdi
Based on Shirdi'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. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Shirdi.
Months each crop suits in Shirdi
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Jul–Jan
All year
Tomato
Jul–Jan
All year
Cucumber
Feb and Jun–Nov
Feb–Nov
Chilli pepper
Jun–Feb
All year
Brinjal
Feb and Jun–Nov
Feb–Nov
Lettuce
Aug
Jun–Apr
Broccoli
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Strawberry
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Rose
Aug
Aug–Mar
Gerbera
Aug
Jun–Apr
Carnation
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Aug
Aug–Mar
Anthurium
Jul–Oct
Mar–Oct
Orchids
Jul–Oct
Mar–Oct
Lilium
Difficult
Nov–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]
150 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 Shirdi 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 150 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Shirdi with Kryzen
We have built 95 projects in Maharashtra so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Shirdi is about 80 km in a straight line from our Nashik warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Shirdi
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Shirdi:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Shirdi: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Shirdi?
Yes, with the right structure. For Shirdi 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 Shirdi?
With April highs of about 40°C and 29% 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 Shirdi?
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 Shirdi?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Shirdi, 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 Shirdi?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Nashik warehouse, about 80 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 Shirdi 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.
