Planning polyhouse farming in Akola? Akola is a large city in Akola district, Maharashtra, home to about 4.3 lakh people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 400 km from Hyderabad. We have used the monthly climate for Akola 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 Akola
May is the hottest month in Akola, with average daily highs of about 43°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 13°C.[3] The area gets about 879 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 242 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Akola sits about 286 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Akola falls in the hot semi-arid zone (BSh).[4]
Akola climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
29.7
12.6
38
8
Feb
33.6
16.1
29
6
Mar
37.4
19.9
26
17
Apr
41.4
24.5
21
8
May
42.7
27.4
28
13
Jun
35.8
25.5
59
155
Jul
30.8
23.1
78
242
Aug
29.3
22.3
84
205
Sep
29.7
21.9
83
162
Oct
30.1
19.0
73
46
Nov
29.6
15.5
62
14
Dec
29.2
12.8
47
3
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Akola. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Akola
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, chilli pepper can be grown for the whole year in Akola, so you can supply buyers every week instead of one open-field season.
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
Drip irrigation under cover uses less water than flood irrigation, and the roof keeps July's 242 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 (July to September), so you spray less often.
5
Subsidy eligible
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 Akola?
For polyhouse farming in Akola, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Akola comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 43°C while average humidity is only about 25%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 43°C May afternoon down to roughly 31°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 July to January and costs less to run.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 242 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.1 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.
Crops for Akola
Based on Akola'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 Akola.
Months each crop suits in Akola
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Jul–Jan
Jun–Apr
Tomato
Jul–Jan
Jun–Apr
Cucumber
Feb and Jul–Nov
Feb–Nov
Chilli pepper
Jul–Jan
All year
Brinjal
Jul–Nov
Feb–Nov
Lettuce
Difficult
Jul–Apr
Broccoli
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Strawberry
Difficult
Nov–Jan
Rose
Difficult
Oct–Mar
Gerbera
Difficult
Jul–Mar
Carnation
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Difficult
Oct–Mar
Anthurium
Aug–Sep and Nov
Feb–Nov
Orchids
Aug–Sep and Nov
Feb–Nov
Lilium
Difficult
Nov–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.
₹7,415Spending per person per month, urban Maharashtra, 2023–24[6]
400 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] Akola is large enough for steady local sales to restaurants, hotels and fruit-and-vegetable retailers. Start with a farm size that matches the orders you can confirm.
Polyhouse farming in Akola with Kryzen
We have built 95 projects in Maharashtra so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Akola is about 200 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Akola
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Akola:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Akola: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Akola?
Yes, with the right structure. For Akola 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 Akola?
With May highs of about 43°C and 28% 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 Akola?
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 Akola?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Akola, 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 Akola?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 200 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 Akola 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.
