Planning polyhouse farming in Soro? Soro is a small town in Balasore district, Odisha, home to about 33,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 220 km from Kolkata. 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 Soro
April is the hottest month in Soro, with average daily highs of about 38°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 13°C.[3] The area gets about 1,719 mm of rain a year, most of it in May to October, peaking in July at about 330 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in June to October, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Soro falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]
Soro climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
25.3
13.2
66
16
Feb
29.6
16.7
63
23
Mar
34.6
21.3
60
29
Apr
37.6
24.6
60
67
May
36.3
26.3
69
148
Jun
32.8
26.7
80
253
Jul
30.7
26.2
87
330
Aug
30.2
26.0
89
325
Sep
29.9
25.6
88
308
Oct
29.4
23.5
80
179
Nov
27.1
18.7
74
30
Dec
24.8
14.4
70
11
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Soro. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Soro
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, chilli pepper can be grown for the whole year in Soro, 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 330 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 Odisha can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[5]
Which polyhouse suits Soro?
For polyhouse farming in Soro, 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 63%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 38°C April 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. 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 330 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. A nethouse, the lowest-cost option, can grow hardy crops in November to February, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Soro
Based on Soro'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. Lilium and strawberry 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 Soro.
Months each crop suits in Soro
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Jul–Feb
Jul–May
Tomato
Oct–Feb
Oct–Apr
Cucumber
Feb and Jun–Dec
Feb–Dec
Chilli pepper
Jun–Feb
All year
Brinjal
Feb and Jun–Dec
Feb–Dec
Lettuce
Nov–Jan
Oct–Feb
Broccoli
Difficult
Dec–Jan
Strawberry
Dec
Dec–Jan
Rose
Nov–Jan
Nov–Feb
Gerbera
Nov–Jan
Oct–Feb
Carnation
Dec
Dec–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Nov–Jan
Nov–Feb
Anthurium
Feb and Sep–Nov
Feb–Mar and Jun–Nov
Orchids
Feb and Sep–Nov
Feb–Mar and Jun–Nov
Lilium
Difficult
Dec–Jan
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.
₹5,925Spending per person per month, urban Odisha, 2023–24[6]
220 kmto Kolkata, the nearest metro (straight line)
Urban households in Odisha spent an average of ₹5,925 per person per month in 2023–24, below the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Soro may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Kolkata is within a day's delivery, about 220 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Soro with Kryzen
Soro is about 1,190 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Soro
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Soro:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Soro: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Soro?
Yes, with the right structure. For Soro 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 March to September, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Soro?
With April highs of about 38°C and 60% 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 Soro?
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 Soro?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Soro, 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 Soro?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 1,190 km away.
Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Odisha?
Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Odisha 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 Soro 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.
