Hydroponic farm construction · Maharashtra

Hydroponic Farm Construction in Lonar

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

Kryzen Biotech ಸಂಸ್ಥಾಪಕ ಸುಧೀರ್ ದೇವ್ಕರ್

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 5 min read

Hydroponic farm construction in Lonar: nFT flatbed hydroponic farm with lettuce, built by Kryzen

Planning hydroponic farm construction in Lonar? Lonar is a small town in Buldhana district, Maharashtra, home to about 23,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 320 km from Pune. This guide works from Lonar's own monthly climate to suggest the protected structure, the hydroponic system and the crops to start with, and the months each crop is likely to do well.

Climate for hydroponic farm construction in Lonar

May is the hottest month in Lonar, with average daily highs of about 42°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 13°C.[3] The area gets about 843 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 210 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Lonar sits about 563 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Lonar falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]

Lonar climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan29.412.5395
Feb33.215.8294
Mar36.719.52615
Apr40.423.8228
May41.526.13014
Jun34.624.262148
Jul30.222.278210
Aug29.021.583189
Sep29.021.083172
Oct29.318.47356
Nov28.815.16419
Dec28.512.6493
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Lonar. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]

Which greenhouse suits Lonar?

For hydroponic farm construction in Lonar, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Lonar comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 42°C while average humidity is only about 26%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 42°C May afternoon down to roughly 30°C inside a Fan & Pad polyhouse, cool enough for lettuce and other leafy greens. For vine crops such as capsicum and cucumber, a naturally ventilated polyhouse with a shade screen works from July to January and costs less to run.

Protected structures to compare

Plan for heavy rain in July (about 210 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.0 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 February, when it is mild and fairly dry.

Hydroponic crops for Lonar

Based on Lonar's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are coriander (all year), basil (all year) and mint (all year). Coriander fits all year with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for hydroponic farm construction in Lonar.

Months each crop suits in Lonar

ಬೆಳೆನೈಸರ್ಗಿಕ ವಾತಾಯನದ ಪಾಲಿಹೌಸ್With Fan & Pad cooling
ಲೆಟ್ಯೂಸ್DifficultJul–Apr
ಪಾಲಕ್DifficultJul–Apr
ಕೊತ್ತಂಬರಿAug–JanAll year
ಪಾರ್ಸ್ಲಿDifficultJul–Apr
ತುಳಸಿJul–FebAll year
ಪುದೀನJul–JanAll year
ಸೌತೆಕಾಯಿFeb and Jul–NovFeb–Nov
ಟೊಮೆಟೊJul–JanJun–Apr
ಕ್ಯಾಪ್ಸಿಕಂJul–JanAll year
ಸ್ಟ್ರಾಬೆರಿDifficultNov–Jan
Kryzen planning estimate from the monthly averages above and each crop's usual day and night temperature range. Variety, nutrient temperature and shading change the result, so confirm with a trial.

Hydroponic systems for these crops

Suggested crops for Lonar

Selling your harvest in and around Lonar

23,000People in Lonar (GeoNames)[1]
₹7,415Spending per person per month, urban Maharashtra, 2023–24[5]
320 kmto Pune, 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.[5] Local demand in Lonar may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Jalna, about 70 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list.

Hydroponic farm construction in Lonar with Kryzen

We have built 95 projects in Maharashtra so far (see our project map (ಹೊಸ ಟ್ಯಾಬ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ತೆರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ)). Lonar is about 120 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.

Towns near Lonar

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

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.

Hydroponic farm construction in Lonar: FAQs

Can a hydroponic farm run all year in Lonar?

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

Which polyhouse is best for Lonar?

With May highs of about 42°C and 30% average humidity in that month, we would start with a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens.

Which hydroponic crops should I start with in Lonar?

Going by the monthly climate, coriander, basil and mint have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.

Does Kryzen build hydroponic farms in Lonar?

Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 120 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 Lonar 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.

ಸುಧೀರ್ ದೇವ್ಕರ್

ಸುಧೀರ್ ದೇವ್ಕರ್

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 (ಹೊಸ ಟ್ಯಾಬ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ತೆರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ)
  2. ವಿಕಿಪೀಡಿಯಾ · Lonar (ಹೊಸ ಟ್ಯಾಬ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ತೆರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ)
  3. NASA Langley Research Center · POWER Climatology API: long-term monthly averages (ಹೊಸ ಟ್ಯಾಬ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ತೆರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ)
  4. Rubel & Kottek, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna · World map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification (ಹೊಸ ಟ್ಯಾಬ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ತೆರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ)
  5. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) · Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023–24: press note (ಹೊಸ ಟ್ಯಾಬ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ತೆರೆಯುತ್ತದೆ)