Planning polyhouse farming in Rishikesh? Rishikesh is a town in Dehradun district, Uttarakhand, home to about 70,000 people (Census 2011)[1], about 200 km from Delhi. We have used the monthly climate for Rishikesh 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 Rishikesh
May is the hottest month in Rishikesh, with average daily highs of about 40°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 8°C.[2] The area gets about 1,290 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 381 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in August to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Rishikesh sits about 372 m above sea level.[1] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Rishikesh falls in the humid subtropical with dry winters zone (Cwa).[3]
Rishikesh climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
20.1
7.9
48
33
Feb
23.7
10.6
46
40
Mar
29.7
15.0
39
34
Apr
36.3
20.8
30
26
May
40.4
25.4
27
42
Jun
39.6
27.2
42
159
Jul
34.0
26.0
73
381
Aug
31.5
24.9
83
364
Sep
30.6
22.7
78
177
Oct
29.1
18.1
60
18
Nov
25.1
13.3
51
5
Dec
21.3
9.4
47
11
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Rishikesh, adjusted for the town's elevation[4]. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[2]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Rishikesh
1
वर्षभर पिके
A polyhouse stretches the season: in Rishikesh chilli pepper can be grown for about 9 months a year under cover, longer than in the open field.
2
चांगले उत्पादन आणि भाव
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
कमी पाणी
Drip irrigation under cover uses less water than flood irrigation, and the roof keeps July's 381 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 (August to September), so you spray less often.
5
अनुदानास पात्र
Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Uttarakhand can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[5]
Which polyhouse suits Rishikesh?
For polyhouse farming in Rishikesh, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Rishikesh comes with dry air. In May to June, average highs reach 40°C while average humidity is only about 35%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 40°C May afternoon down to roughly 29°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 March and September to November and costs less to run.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 381 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 6.9 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 and October to November, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Rishikesh
Based on Rishikesh's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are chilli pepper (9 months), capsicum (8 months) and tomato (8 months). Chilli pepper fits March to November with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Rishikesh.
Months each crop suits in Rishikesh
पीक
नॅचरली व्हेंटिलेटेड पॉलीहाउस
With Fan & Pad cooling
ढोबळी मिरची
Mar and Sep–Nov
Mar–May and Jul–Nov
टोमॅटो
Feb–Mar and Sep–Nov
Feb–May and Aug–Nov
काकडी
Mar and Jul–Oct
Mar–Oct
Chilli pepper
Mar and Aug–Nov
Mar–Nov
वांगी
Mar and Aug–Oct
Mar–Oct
लेट्यूस
Nov–Feb
Sep–Apr
ब्रोकोली
Dec–Feb
Nov–Mar
स्ट्रॉबेरी
Dec–Feb
Nov–Mar
गुलाब
Feb and Nov
Feb–Apr and Oct–Nov
जरबेरा
Feb and Nov
Feb–Apr and Sep–Nov
कार्नेशन
Dec–Feb
Nov–Mar
शेवंती
Feb and Nov
Feb–Apr and Oct–Nov
अँथुरियम
Oct
Apr–Oct
ऑर्किड
Oct
Apr–Oct
लिलियम
Dec–Feb
Nov–Mar
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.
₹7,547Spending per person per month, urban Uttarakhand, 2023–24[6]
200 kmto Delhi, the nearest metro (straight line)
Urban households in Uttarakhand spent an average of ₹7,547 per person per month in 2023–24, above the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Rishikesh may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Haridwar, about 20 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Delhi is within a day's delivery, about 200 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Rishikesh with Kryzen
We have built 2 projects in Uttarakhand so far (see our project map (नवीन टॅबमध्ये उघडते)). Rishikesh is about 1,180 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Rishikesh
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Rishikesh:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Rishikesh: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Rishikesh?
Yes, with the right structure. For Rishikesh we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in May to August, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Rishikesh?
With May highs of about 40°C and 27% 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 Rishikesh?
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 Rishikesh?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Rishikesh, 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 Rishikesh?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 1,180 km away, and we have built 2 projects in Uttarakhand.
Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Uttarakhand?
Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Uttarakhand 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 Rishikesh 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.
