Polyhouse farming · Punjab

Polyhouse Farming in Longowal

Monthly climate, crop windows and nearby markets for a polyhouse farm in Longowal, with Fan & Pad cooling for dry summer heat.

Sudhir Devkar, founder of Kryzen Biotech

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 5 min read

Polyhouse farming in Longowal: aerial view of a large protected cultivation farm with polyhouses

Planning polyhouse farming in Longowal? Longowal is a small town in Sangrur district, Punjab, home to about 24,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 230 km from Delhi. 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 Longowal

May is the hottest month in Longowal, with average daily highs of about 43°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 5°C.[3] The area gets about 508 mm of rain a year. The wettest months are July to August, peaking in July at about 122 mm. Longowal sits about 226 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Longowal falls in the hot semi-arid zone (BSh).[4]

Longowal climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan20.35.34316
Feb24.68.44220
Mar31.314.43522
Apr38.121.02716
May42.627.02328
Jun42.529.93472
Jul38.828.854122
Aug36.826.961110
Sep35.823.75785
Oct33.418.6415
Nov27.612.6365
Dec22.47.4387
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Longowal. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]

Advantages of protected cultivation in Longowal

  • Year-round crops

    A polyhouse stretches the season: in Longowal cucumber can be grown for about 7 months a year under cover, longer than in the open field.

  • 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.

  • Less water

    With only about 508 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.

  • Less pesticides

    Insect net on vents and doors keeps out most pests, so you spray less often.

  • Subsidy eligible

    Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Punjab can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[5]

Which polyhouse suits Longowal?

For polyhouse farming in Longowal, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Longowal comes with dry air. In April to July, average highs reach 43°C while average humidity is only about 35%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 43°C May afternoon down to roughly 30°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 November and costs less to run.

Protected structures to compare

Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.0 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 March and October to November, when it is mild and fairly dry.

Crops for Longowal

Based on Longowal's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are cucumber (7 months), chilli pepper (7 months) and lettuce (7 months). Cucumber fits March to May and July to October with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Longowal.

Months each crop suits in Longowal

CropNaturally ventilated polyhouseWith Fan & Pad cooling
CapsicumNovMar–Apr and Sep–Nov
TomatoNovMar–Apr and Sep–Nov
CucumberMar and OctMar–May and Jul–Oct
Chilli pepperMar and NovMar–May and Aug–Nov
BrinjalMarMar–May and Aug–Oct
LettuceNov–FebOct–Apr
BroccoliDec–JanNov–Mar
StrawberryDec–FebNov–Mar
RoseNovMar–Apr and Oct–Nov
GerberaNovMar–Apr and Oct–Nov
CarnationFebFeb–Mar and Nov
ChrysanthemumNovMar–Apr and Oct–Nov
AnthuriumDifficultApr–May and Sep–Oct
OrchidsDifficultApr–May and Sep–Oct
LiliumDifficultFeb–Mar and Nov
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.

Suggested crops for Longowal

Selling your harvest in and around Longowal

24,000People in Longowal (GeoNames)[1]
₹7,383Spending per person per month, urban Punjab, 2023–24[6]
230 kmto Delhi, the nearest metro (straight line)

Urban households in Punjab spent an average of ₹7,383 per person per month in 2023–24, above the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Longowal may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Delhi is within a day's delivery, about 230 km away.

Polyhouse farming in Longowal with Kryzen

We have built 4 projects in Punjab so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Longowal is about 1,150 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.

Towns near Longowal

We also plan and build farms in these towns near Longowal:

Map of Punjab

Check other locations in Punjab

We have farm planning pages for 55 towns in Punjab, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All Punjab locations

Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.

Polyhouse farming in Longowal: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Longowal?

Yes, with the right structure. For Longowal we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in May to September, so plan another crop for those months.

Which polyhouse is best for Longowal?

With May highs of about 43°C and 23% 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 Longowal?

Going by the monthly climate, cucumber, chilli pepper and lettuce have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.

Is polyhouse farming profitable in Longowal?

It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Longowal, cucumber and chilli pepper 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 Longowal?

Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 1,150 km away, and we have built 4 projects in Punjab.

Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Punjab?

Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Punjab 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 Longowal 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.

Sudhir Devkar

Sudhir Devkar

Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

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.

Sources

  1. GeoNames · Geographical database: populated places of India (opens in a new tab)
  2. Wikipedia · Longowal (opens in a new tab)
  3. NASA Langley Research Center · POWER Climatology API: long-term monthly averages (opens in a new tab)
  4. Rubel & Kottek, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna · World map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification (opens in a new tab)
  5. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare · Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) (opens in a new tab)
  6. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) · Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023–24: press note (opens in a new tab)