Polyhouse farming · Maharashtra

Polyhouse Farming in Loha

Monthly climate, crop windows and nearby markets for a polyhouse farm in Loha, with Fan & Pad cooling for dry summer heat.

Kryzen Biotech ના સ્થાપક સુધીર દેવકર

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 5 min read

Polyhouse farming in Loha: aerial view of a large protected cultivation farm with polyhouses

Planning polyhouse farming in Loha? Loha is a small town in Nanded district, Maharashtra, home to about 24,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 230 km from Hyderabad. We have used the monthly climate for Loha 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 Loha

May is the hottest month in Loha, with average daily highs of about 42°C. December has the coolest nights, averaging 13°C.[3] The area gets about 806 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 188 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to October, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Loha falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]

Loha climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan30.613.5395
Feb34.317.0305
Mar37.820.82615
Apr41.125.12513
May42.027.42922
Jun34.924.661131
Jul31.122.675188
Aug29.921.980181
Sep29.621.582164
Oct29.719.07566
Nov29.415.56514
Dec29.513.3502
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Loha. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]

Advantages of protected cultivation in Loha

  • આખું વર્ષ પાક

    Under cover, chilli pepper can be grown for the whole year in Loha, so you can supply buyers every week instead of one open-field season.

  • વધુ સારું ઉત્પાદન અને ભાવ

    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.

  • ઓછું પાણી

    Drip irrigation under cover uses less water than flood irrigation, and the roof keeps July's 188 mm of rain off the crop and the soil.

  • Less pesticides

    Insect net on vents and doors keeps out most pests, and controlled ventilation helps with leaf disease in the humid months (July to October), so you spray less often.

  • સબસિડી પાત્ર

    Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Maharashtra can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[5]

Which polyhouse suits Loha?

For polyhouse farming in Loha, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Loha comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 42°C while average humidity is only about 27%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 42°C May afternoon down to roughly 30°C inside a Fan & Pad polyhouse, which keeps herbs and vine crops going; lettuce will still struggle in the hottest weeks. For vine crops such as capsicum and cucumber, a naturally ventilated polyhouse with a shade screen works from August to January and costs less to run.

Protected structures to compare

Sunlight peaks in May at about 6.8 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 October to January, when it is mild and fairly dry.

Crops for Loha

Based on Loha's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are chilli pepper (all year), capsicum (11 months) and tomato (11 months). Chilli pepper fits all year with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Loha.

Months each crop suits in Loha

પાકનેચરલી વેન્ટિલેટેડ પોલીહાઉસWith Fan & Pad cooling
કેપ્સિકમAug–JanJun–Apr
ટામેટાંAug–JanJun–Apr
કાકડીJan and Jul–NovJan–Nov
Chilli pepperJul–JanAll year
રીંગણJan and Jul–NovJan–Nov
લેટ્યુસDifficultJul–Mar
બ્રોકોલીDifficultDec–Feb
સ્ટ્રોબેરીDifficultNov–Jan
ગુલાબDifficultSep–Mar
જર્બેરાDifficultJul–Mar
કાર્નેશનDifficultNov–Feb
સેવંતીDifficultSep–Mar
એન્થુરિયમAug–NovFeb–Nov
ઓર્કિડAug–NovFeb–Nov
લિલિયમDifficultDec–Feb
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.

Suggested crops for Loha

Selling your harvest in and around Loha

24,000People in Loha (GeoNames)[1]
₹7,415Spending per person per month, urban Maharashtra, 2023–24[6]
230 kmto Hyderabad, the nearest metro (straight line)

Urban households in Maharashtra spent an average of ₹7,415 per person per month in 2023–24, above the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Loha may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Nanded, about 30 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Hyderabad is within a day's delivery, about 230 km away.

Polyhouse farming in Loha with Kryzen

We have built 95 projects in Maharashtra so far (see our project map (નવા ટેબમાં ખૂલે છે)). Loha is about 210 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.

Towns near Loha

We also plan and build farms in these towns near Loha:

Map of Maharashtra

Check other locations in Maharashtra

We have farm planning pages for 130 towns in Maharashtra, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All Maharashtra locations

Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.

Polyhouse farming in Loha: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Loha?

Yes, with the right structure. For Loha we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in April to June, so plan another crop for those months.

Which polyhouse is best for Loha?

With May highs of about 42°C and 29% average humidity in that month, we would start with a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens.

Which crops should I grow in a polyhouse in Loha?

Going by the monthly climate, chilli pepper, capsicum and tomato have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.

Is polyhouse farming profitable in Loha?

It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Loha, chilli pepper and capsicum 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 Loha?

Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 210 km away, and we have built 95 projects in Maharashtra.

Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Maharashtra?

Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Maharashtra 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 Loha 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.

સુધીર દેવકર

સુધીર દેવકર

Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

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.

Sources

  1. GeoNames · Geographical database: populated places of India (નવા ટેબમાં ખૂલે છે)
  2. Wikipedia · Loha, Nanded district (નવા ટેબમાં ખૂલે છે)
  3. NASA Langley Research Center · POWER Climatology API: long-term monthly averages (નવા ટેબમાં ખૂલે છે)
  4. Rubel & Kottek, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna · World map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification (નવા ટેબમાં ખૂલે છે)
  5. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare · Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) (નવા ટેબમાં ખૂલે છે)
  6. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) · Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023–24: press note (નવા ટેબમાં ખૂલે છે)