Planning polyhouse farming in Abu Dhabi? Abu Dhabi is the main city of the emirate of the same name, United Arab Emirates[1]. 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 Abu Dhabi
August is the hottest month in Abu Dhabi, with average daily highs of about 39°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 18°C.[2] Rain is scarce: about 64 mm a year. Water for the farm will come from a borewell, well, tanker or municipal supply, so test its salts (EC) and hardness before choosing the system. Abu Dhabi sits about 14 m above sea level.[1] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Abu Dhabi falls in the hot desert zone (BWh).[3]
Abu Dhabi climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
22.3
17.6
65
11
Feb
23.4
17.8
64
5
Mar
26.3
20.0
62
13
Apr
30.3
23.4
58
6
May
34.5
27.1
58
3
Jun
36.4
29.3
62
3
Jul
38.0
31.4
60
1
Aug
38.6
31.9
57
1
Sep
36.7
30.4
58
5
Oct
33.6
27.9
57
1
Nov
28.9
24.3
59
6
Dec
24.6
20.3
64
9
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Abu Dhabi. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[2]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Abu Dhabi
1
Year-round crops
A polyhouse stretches the season: in Abu Dhabi cucumber can be grown for about 9 months a year under cover, longer than in the open field.
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
With only about 64 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.
4
Less pesticides
Insect net on vents and doors keeps out most pests, so you spray less often.
Which polyhouse suits Abu Dhabi?
For polyhouse farming in Abu Dhabi, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. Average highs stay at 33°C or more in May to October, with moderate humidity of about 59%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 39°C August 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 June at about 7.4 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 March to April and October to December, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Abu Dhabi
Based on Abu Dhabi's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are cucumber (9 months), chilli pepper (7 months) and brinjal (7 months). Cucumber fits October to June 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 Abu Dhabi.
Months each crop suits in Abu Dhabi
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Nov–Apr
Nov–Apr
Tomato
Nov–Apr
Nov–Apr
Cucumber
Oct–Apr
Oct–Jun
Chilli pepper
Nov–Apr
Nov–May
Brinjal
Nov–Apr
Nov–May
Lettuce
Dec–Mar
Nov–Apr
Broccoli
Difficult
Difficult
Strawberry
Difficult
Difficult
Rose
Dec–Mar
Dec–Mar
Gerbera
Dec–Mar
Dec–Apr
Carnation
Difficult
Difficult
Chrysanthemum
Dec–Mar
Dec–Mar
Anthurium
Nov–Mar
Nov–May
Orchids
Nov–Mar
Nov–May
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.
Every project starts with your site data: plot size, water quality and the crops your buyers want. We review it with you online and prepare a project report before construction starts.
Towns near Abu Dhabi
Check other locations in Abu Dhabi
We have farm planning pages for 5 towns in Abu Dhabi, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.
Yes, with the right structure. For Abu Dhabi 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 May to October, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Abu Dhabi?
With August highs of about 39°C and 57% 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 Abu Dhabi?
Going by the monthly climate, cucumber, chilli pepper and brinjal have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Discuss your Abu Dhabi 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.
