Crops · Vegetables · Protected cultivation
Broccoli cultivation in polyhouse and hydroponics
Grow tight, green broccoli heads for hotels and retail under protected cultivation, in cocopeat troughs or grow bags fed by drip. Cleaner heads, fewer caterpillars and better timing for high prices, with a farm designed, built and supported by Kryzen.
A cool-season crop
Insect net keeps caterpillars out
Premium hotel and retail demand
Why protected cultivation
Can broccoli be grown in a polyhouse?
Quick answer
Yes, in the cooler months. Broccoli needs mild temperatures to form a tight head. Under a nethouse or naturally ventilated polyhouse, seedlings are planted in cocopeat troughs or grow bags and fed by drip. The main head is cut about 60–80 days after planting, then side shoots follow for 2–3 weeks.
Insect net keeps out diamondback moth and other caterpillars that damage broccoli heads, and shade net and vents keep temperature closer to what the crop needs. Soil-free media and drip feeding stop clubroot and give every plant the same water and food.
| Point |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Winter only | Longer cool season with shade and vents | Longer cool season with shade and vents |
| Head quality | Loose heads; rain and caterpillar damage | Cleaner, tighter heads | Tight, even, clean heads |
| Pests | Diamondback moth and aphids attack freely | Insect net and traps keep pressure low | Insect net and traps keep pressure low |
| Soil diseases | Clubroot and black rot build up in soil | Still a risk; soil disease builds up over cycles | None; clean cocopeat |
| Water and fertiliser | Flood irrigation; much is lost | Drip into soil; some is lost | Exact drip doses to every plant |
| Revenue per acre per cycle | ₹2–5 lakh | ₹4–8 lakh | ₹4–7 lakh a month |
| Setup cost | Low | Medium | Highest; see your quotation and subsidy |
Expected revenue
How much revenue to expect per acre, per cycle
Expected sales from one acre of broccoli for one crop cycle, and the risks you have to fight with each way of growing.
Open field
₹2–5 lakh
per acre, per crop cycle
Seasonal crop in soil, exposed to rain, heat and pests.
Risks11 risks to fight
- Insect attack
- Climate attack
- High cost of fertiliser
- High cost of water
- High cost of labour
- Cost of pesticides
- Cost of growth boosters
- Cost of land preparation
- Mulching paper
- Uneven quality
- Unpredictable quantity
Polyhouse + soil-based growing
₹4–8 lakh
per acre, per crop cycle
Protected crop planted in soil beds with drip irrigation.
Risks5 risks to fight
- Insect attack (avoided)
- Climate attack (avoided)
- High cost of fertiliser (avoided)
- High cost of water (avoided)
- High cost of labour
- Cost of pesticides
- Cost of growth boosters
- Cost of land preparation
- Mulching paper
- Uneven quality (avoided)
- Unpredictable quantity (avoided)
Polyhouse + hydroponics
₹4–7 lakh
per acre, per month
Protected crop in cocopeat with drip fertigation.
RisksNone of these risks
- Insect attack (avoided)
- Climate attack (avoided)
- High cost of fertiliser (avoided)
- High cost of water (avoided)
- High cost of labour (avoided)
- Cost of pesticides (avoided)
- Cost of growth boosters (avoided)
- Cost of land preparation (avoided)
- Mulching paper (avoided)
- Uneven quality (avoided)
- Unpredictable quantity (avoided)
Struck-through risks are ones that protected cultivation takes away. Revenue depends on variety, season, market price and how well the crop is managed. Our team prepares a crop projection for your farm before you build.
Where it grows
Best growing systems for broccoli
Broccoli is a low, leafy crop with a single head. It grows in cocopeat troughs or grow bags with drip.
Most usedTrough
Long cocopeat troughs on the ground suit close-spaced rows of broccoli.
Cocopeat grow bags
Washed cocopeat bags fed by drip, easy to move between crops.
Inside the right polyhouse
What to plant
Types of broccoli grown in polyhouses
Polyhouses and nethouses grow green hybrid broccoli. You can sell whole heads or trimmed florets in packs for retail and food service.
Green broccoli heads
Whole heads of hybrid green broccoli for hotels, restaurants and wholesale.
Trimmed florets
Heads cut into florets and packed for retail and quick commerce.
Climate and feeding
Ideal growing conditions for broccoli
A polyhouse lets you hold these ranges for most of the year. Vents, shade nets, foggers or fan and pad cooling keep heat in check, and drip fertigation sets the feed. Values are from the Kryzen Plant Wiki.
Broccoli in the Kryzen Plant Wiki on alpha.kryzen.com, prepared by an experienced agronomist with more than 35 years of work and hands-on experience across 100+ crop cycles. See the Agronomy Wiki.
| Factor | Ideal range for broccoli |
|---|---|
| Season | Cool months; best October–February in most of India |
| Growing temperature | 4–29 °C; heads form best at 15–20 °C |
| Relative humidity | 60–80% |
| Feed TDS | About 950 ppm |
| Feed pH | 5.5–7 |
| Plant density | 3–4 plants per m² |
| Spacing | About 45 cm between plants |
| Growing media | Low-EC washed cocopeat |
Crop cycle
From seedling to last harvest
One broccoli crop takes about 3–4 months from nursery to the last side shoots.
- 01
25–30 days
Nursery
Seedlings are raised in protrays of cocopeat, often on ebb and flow benches, until they have 4–5 true leaves.
- 02
Day 0
Transplanting
Healthy seedlings are planted into troughs or bags and the drip is set for young plants.
- 03
Weeks 1–6
Leaf growth
The plant builds a large frame of leaves. Steady nitrogen and water now decide head size.
- 04
Weeks 6–9
Head forming
A small head appears at the centre. Keep temperature mild; heat makes heads loose.
- 05
60–80 days
Main harvest
The main head is cut when it is tight and dark green.
- 06
2–3 weeks more
Side shoots
Smaller side shoots are picked before the crop is ended and the beds are cleaned.
Plant protection
Common broccoli pests and diseases
A polyhouse with insect net, double doors and sticky traps keeps most problems out. Catch the rest early. See the Agronomy Wiki for full guides.
| Pest or disease | What you see | How to prevent it |
|---|---|---|
| Diamondback moth and caterpillars | Holes in leaves and heads | Insect net, pheromone traps, check plants twice a week |
| Aphids | Sticky, curled leaves and dirty heads | Yellow sticky traps, remove weeds, early control |
| Powdery and downy mildew | White powder or yellow patches on leaves | Avoid humidity swings, open vents in the morning |
| Black rot | V-shaped yellow patches from leaf edges | Clean seedlings, no overhead watering, remove infected leaves |
| Fusarium wilt | Yellow, wilting lower leaves | Soil-free cocopeat, good drainage |
| Clubroot | Swollen roots and stunted plants in soil | Soil-free cocopeat avoids it |
Harvest and selling
Pick, grade and sell
Careful picking and grading decide the price you get.
- Cut at the right stageCut the main head when it is tight, dark green and before any yellow flowers open.
- Leave the plant for side shootsCut with 10–15 cm of stem. Smaller side shoots grow and can be picked for 2–3 weeks.
- Cool quicklyMove heads into shade and cool them within an hour; broccoli wilts fast in heat.
- Sell with live pricesTrack rates on Price Watcher and reach buyers through Buyers Connect.
Cost and running
What a broccoli farm needs
Your quotation lists every item, and our team prepares a broccoli crop projection for your farm before you build.
Steady power
Drip runs on a timer. We connect your generator or solar backup for long power cuts.
Good water
A water test before you start tells us how to plan the nutrient solution.
Daily EC and pH checks
Check the feed and the run-off every day and adjust the dose for the crop stage.
Trained workers
Planting, checking for pests and cutting heads at the right stage. We train your team for 4 days at the start.
Plan your doses and your sales
Use the nutrient calculator to plan feeds for each stage. Current prices from Price Watcher go into your project report, and Buyers Connect helps you sell after harvest.
Included free
- 6 months of virtual agronomy
- 4-day training for your farm team
- Hydroponic Masterclass logins
- Farm management software
- Buyers Connect
Worth ₹1.08 lakh
Kryzen fully managed farm
Plan a managed mega farm with Kryzen
Starting at 10 acres+
Ready to invest in 10 acres or more of protected cultivation? We help you set up the farm, run it and find a market for the produce.
- We set it upSite survey, design, construction and all farm buildings.
- We run itOur agronomists and trained team manage every crop cycle.
- We find the marketBuyers for your produce through Buyers Connect.
Why you should plan it
- Up to ₹2–2.5 crore a yearIncome potential from a 10-acre managed protected cultivation farm.
- Tax-free agricultural incomeAgricultural income is exempt from income tax under Section 10(1).
- 35% project subsidySupport on the project cost under eligible government schemes.
- AIF: 3% loan interest subsidyInterest subvention on your project loan under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
- 10-year concession periodA long-term agreement for running and managing the farm.
- Build-Operate-TransferWe build the farm, operate it and transfer it to you.
Subsidy and finance
Subsidy for your broccoli polyhouse
Polyhouse projects built to National Horticulture Board (NHB) and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) norms can apply for government subsidy. A bank loan is usually part of the project, and the subsidy is paid after the project is checked.
NHB subsidy provider
Kryzen is a registered National Horticulture Board subsidy provider for all states.
NHM state subsidy provider
Enrolled with the National Horticulture Mission in Maharashtra and Karnataka for state horticulture schemes.
Project report for your bank
We prepare the detailed project report (DPR) your bank and subsidy file need, with cost, finance and profit projections.
Subsidy amounts depend on the scheme, your state and current government guidelines. The final decision is made by the government department.
How we build
From first call to first harvest
Ten steps, one team. Most projects are built in 45 to 90 days after material reaches the site.
1Free online consultation
We discuss your land, water, budget and goals on a video or phone call.
2Site inspection
Our team checks level, slope, sunlight, soil, water, power and road access.
3Design and quotation
We design for your climate and crops, and share a detailed quotation.
4Project report and finance
We prepare the DPR for your bank loan and subsidy file.
5Subsidy and loan
We help you apply for NHB or NHM subsidy and your bank loan, with the documents each office needs.
6Manufacturing
We cut, shape and quality-test the material at our factory in Satara.
7Construction
Our team builds the foundations, structure and growing systems on your land.
8Testing and handover
We test every system and hand over a working farm.
9Training and agronomy
Hands-on training for your team and 6 months of virtual agronomy support.
10Harvest management
We help you plan harvests, grading and sales, with market prices from Price Watcher and buyers through Buyers Connect.
Can broccoli be grown in a polyhouse?
Yes, in the cooler months. A nethouse or naturally ventilated polyhouse with shade net keeps broccoli clean and free of caterpillars. In hot months, heads become loose.
Which growing system is best for broccoli?
Cocopeat troughs suit close-spaced rows. Grow bags also work and are easy to move between crops.
How long does broccoli take to harvest?
The main head is ready about 60–80 days after transplanting. Side shoots can be picked for 2–3 more weeks.
Why are my broccoli heads loose or yellow?
Heat, uneven water or picking too late. Harvest when heads are tight and dark green, and keep temperatures mild.
How much revenue can broccoli make per acre?
Expected revenue per acre for one crop cycle is about ₹2–5 lakh in open field, ₹4–8 lakh in a polyhouse with soil-based growing; in a polyhouse with hydroponics it is about ₹4–7 lakh a month. It depends on variety, season, market price and how well the crop is managed.
Where can I sell broccoli?
To hotels, restaurants, retail chains and quick commerce. Use Price Watcher to track rates and Buyers Connect to reach buyers.
Talk to our team
Plan your broccoli farm with us
Tell us your land, water and market. We’ll suggest the right polyhouse and growing system for broccoli and share a detailed quotation.