Planning polyhouse farming in Pallikonda? Pallikonda is a small town in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, home to about 23,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 150 km from Chennai. We have used the monthly climate for Pallikonda 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 Pallikonda
April is the hottest month in Pallikonda, with average daily highs of about 39°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 16°C.[3] The area gets about 885 mm of rain a year. The wettest months are July to October, peaking in October at about 153 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in September to December, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Pallikonda sits about 237 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Pallikonda falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]
Pallikonda climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
30.1
16.1
72
5
Feb
33.5
17.4
61
5
Mar
37.2
20.5
53
16
Apr
38.6
23.3
54
48
May
37.0
24.7
59
93
Jun
34.0
23.3
66
74
Jul
33.2
22.5
69
101
Aug
32.6
22.2
72
116
Sep
31.7
22.0
77
147
Oct
30.2
21.2
81
153
Nov
28.6
19.0
83
95
Dec
28.2
16.8
80
32
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Pallikonda, 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 Pallikonda
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Pallikonda, 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 October's 153 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 (September to December), so you spray less often.
5
Subsidy eligible
Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Tamil Nadu can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[6]
Which polyhouse suits Pallikonda?
For polyhouse farming in Pallikonda, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. Average highs stay at 33°C or more in February to July, with moderate humidity of about 60%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 39°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.
Sunlight peaks in April at about 6.6 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 November to February and June, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Pallikonda
Based on Pallikonda's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are capsicum (all year), tomato (all year) and cucumber (all year). Capsicum 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 Pallikonda.
Months each crop suits in Pallikonda
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Oct–Jan
All year
Tomato
Oct–Jan
All year
Cucumber
Jun–Feb
All year
Chilli pepper
Aug–Jan
All year
Brinjal
Aug–Jan
All year
Lettuce
Difficult
Aug–Feb
Broccoli
Difficult
Difficult
Strawberry
Difficult
Difficult
Rose
Difficult
Oct–Feb
Gerbera
Difficult
Aug–Feb
Carnation
Difficult
Dec
Chrysanthemum
Difficult
Oct–Feb
Anthurium
Nov–Dec
Jun–Mar
Orchids
Nov–Dec
Jun–Mar
Lilium
Difficult
Difficult
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.
₹8,325Spending per person per month, urban Tamil Nadu, 2023–24[7]
150 kmto Chennai, the nearest metro (straight line)
Urban households in Tamil Nadu spent an average of ₹8,325 per person per month in 2023–24, above the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[7] Local demand in Pallikonda may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Vellore, about 20 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Chennai is within a day's delivery, about 150 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Pallikonda with Kryzen
We have built 9 projects in Tamil Nadu so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Pallikonda is about 780 km in a straight line from our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), our nearest site.
Towns near Pallikonda
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Pallikonda:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Pallikonda: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Pallikonda?
Yes, with the right structure. For Pallikonda 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 July, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Pallikonda?
With April highs of about 39°C and 54% 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 Pallikonda?
Going by the monthly climate, capsicum, tomato and cucumber have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Is polyhouse farming profitable in Pallikonda?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Pallikonda, 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 Pallikonda?
Yes. Our nearest site is our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), about 780 km away, and we have built 9 projects in Tamil Nadu.
Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Tamil Nadu?
Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Tamil Nadu 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 Pallikonda 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.
