Planning polyhouse farming in Shenkottai? Shenkottai is a small town in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, home to about 27,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 450 km from Bengaluru. We have used the monthly climate for Shenkottai 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 Shenkottai
March is the hottest month in Shenkottai, with average daily highs of about 36°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 18°C.[3] The area gets about 1,343 mm of rain a year, most of it in May to November, peaking in October at about 255 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in May to January, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Shenkottai sits about 146 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Shenkottai falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]
Shenkottai climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
29.7
17.9
76
12
Feb
33.2
19.2
65
17
Mar
35.6
21.8
60
43
Apr
34.6
23.4
68
89
May
31.6
23.3
78
145
Jun
29.3
22.5
83
143
Jul
28.8
21.9
83
123
Aug
29.1
21.7
83
102
Sep
29.5
21.5
83
144
Oct
29.1
21.5
85
255
Nov
27.7
20.9
87
214
Dec
27.5
19.1
85
56
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Shenkottai. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Shenkottai
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Shenkottai, 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 255 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 (May to January), 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.[5]
Which polyhouse suits Shenkottai?
For polyhouse farming in Shenkottai, 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 April, with moderate humidity of about 64%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 36°C March afternoon down to roughly 31°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 October (about 255 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 December to February, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Shenkottai
Based on Shenkottai'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 carnation 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 Shenkottai.
Months each crop suits in Shenkottai
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Jun–Jan
All year
Tomato
Jun–Jan
All year
Cucumber
May–Feb
All year
Chilli pepper
May–Jan
All year
Brinjal
May–Jan
All year
Lettuce
Nov–Dec
May–Feb
Broccoli
Difficult
Difficult
Strawberry
Difficult
Difficult
Rose
Nov–Dec
Sep–Feb
Gerbera
Nov–Dec
May–Feb
Carnation
Difficult
Difficult
Chrysanthemum
Nov–Dec
Sep–Feb
Anthurium
Jun–Jan
All year
Orchids
Jun–Jan
All year
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[6]
450 kmto Bengaluru, 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.[6] Local demand in Shenkottai may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes.
Polyhouse farming in Shenkottai with Kryzen
We have built 9 projects in Tamil Nadu so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Shenkottai is about 1,060 km in a straight line from our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), our nearest site.
Towns near Shenkottai
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Shenkottai:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Shenkottai: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Shenkottai?
Yes, with the right structure. For Shenkottai 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 April, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Shenkottai?
With March highs of about 36°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 Shenkottai?
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 Shenkottai?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Shenkottai, 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 Shenkottai?
Yes. Our nearest site is our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), about 1,060 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 Shenkottai 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.
