Planning polyhouse farming in Sholavandan? Sholavandan is a small town in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, home to about 23,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 330 km from Bengaluru. This guide works from Sholavandan's own monthly climate to suggest the protected structure, the crops to start with, and the months each crop is likely to do well.
Climate for polyhouse farming in Sholavandan
April is the hottest month in Sholavandan, with average daily highs of about 37°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 18°C.[3] The area gets about 962 mm of rain a year, most of it in May and September to November, peaking in October at about 197 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in October to December, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Sholavandan sits about 164 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Sholavandan falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]
Sholavandan climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
30.1
17.8
74
9
Feb
33.3
19.0
64
12
Mar
36.3
22.0
57
23
Apr
36.6
24.4
59
50
May
35.3
24.8
64
101
Jun
34.0
23.5
65
57
Jul
33.6
23.2
63
72
Aug
33.5
22.7
66
89
Sep
33.1
22.6
70
115
Oct
31.0
22.3
78
197
Nov
28.5
20.9
84
177
Dec
28.1
18.9
83
60
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Sholavandan. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Sholavandan
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Sholavandan, 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 197 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 (October 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.[5]
Which polyhouse suits Sholavandan?
For polyhouse farming in Sholavandan, 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 September, with moderate humidity of about 64%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 37°C April afternoon down to roughly 32°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 March at about 6.4 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 December to February and June to August, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Sholavandan
Based on Sholavandan'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 Sholavandan.
Months each crop suits in Sholavandan
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
Oct–Jan
All year
Brinjal
Oct–Jan
All year
Lettuce
Difficult
Oct–Feb and Jul–Aug
Broccoli
Difficult
Difficult
Strawberry
Difficult
Difficult
Rose
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Gerbera
Difficult
Oct–Feb and Jul–Aug
Carnation
Difficult
Difficult
Chrysanthemum
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Anthurium
Nov–Dec
All year
Orchids
Nov–Dec
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]
330 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 Sholavandan may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Madurai, about 20 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list.
Polyhouse farming in Sholavandan with Kryzen
We have built 9 projects in Tamil Nadu so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Sholavandan is about 980 km in a straight line from our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), our nearest site.
Towns near Sholavandan
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Sholavandan:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Sholavandan: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Sholavandan?
Yes, with the right structure. For Sholavandan 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 June and September, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Sholavandan?
With April highs of about 37°C and 59% 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 Sholavandan?
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 Sholavandan?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Sholavandan, 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 Sholavandan?
Yes. Our nearest site is our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), about 980 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 Sholavandan 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.
