Polyhouse farming · West Bengal

Polyhouse Farming in Asansol

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

Sudhir Devkar, founder of Kryzen Biotech

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 6 min read

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

Planning polyhouse farming in Asansol? Asansol is a large city in Paschim Bardhaman district, West Bengal, home to about 5.6 lakh people (Census 2011)[1], about 190 km from Kolkata. This guide works from Asansol's own monthly climate to suggest the protected structure, the crops to start with, and the months each crop is likely to do well.

Climate for polyhouse farming in Asansol

May is the hottest month in Asansol, with average daily highs of about 39°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 9°C.[2] The area gets about 1,405 mm of rain a year, most of it in May to September, peaking in July at about 327 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to October, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Asansol sits about 97 m above sea level.[1] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Asansol falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[3]

Asansol climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan23.39.16212
Feb28.213.05414
Mar34.218.24422
Apr39.223.34447
May39.325.954118
Jun35.526.570220
Jul31.825.484327
Aug30.925.087292
Sep30.224.288237
Oct29.220.88199
Nov26.515.1749
Dec23.210.3708
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Asansol. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[2]

Advantages of protected cultivation in Asansol

  • Year-round crops

    Under cover, chilli pepper can be grown for 10 months a year in Asansol, so you can supply buyers every week instead of one open-field season.

  • 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.

  • Less water

    Drip irrigation under cover uses less water than flood irrigation, and the roof keeps July's 327 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.

  • Subsidy eligible

    Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in West Bengal can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[4]

Which polyhouse suits Asansol?

For polyhouse farming in Asansol, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Asansol comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 39°C while average humidity is only about 49%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 39°C May afternoon down to roughly 33°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 February and August to November and costs less to run.

Protected structures to compare

Plan for heavy rain in July (about 327 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in April at about 6.3 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 February and October to November, when it is mild and fairly dry.

Crops for Asansol

Based on Asansol's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are chilli pepper (10 months), capsicum (9 months) and tomato (9 months). Chilli pepper fits February to November with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Asansol.

Months each crop suits in Asansol

CropNaturally ventilated polyhouseWith Fan & Pad cooling
CapsicumFeb and Aug–NovFeb–Apr and Jun–Nov
TomatoFeb and Aug–DecFeb–Apr and Jul–Dec
CucumberJul–NovMar–Nov
Chilli pepperFeb and Jul–NovFeb–Nov
BrinjalJul–NovMar–Nov
LettuceNov–JanSep–Mar
BroccoliDec–JanNov–Feb
StrawberryDec–JanNov–Feb
RoseNov–DecFeb–Mar and Oct–Dec
GerberaNov–DecFeb–Mar and Oct–Dec
CarnationDec–JanNov–Feb
ChrysanthemumNov–DecFeb–Mar and Oct–Dec
AnthuriumOctMar–Apr and Jul–Oct
OrchidsOctMar–Apr and Jul–Oct
LiliumDec–JanNov–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 Asansol

Selling your harvest in and around Asansol

5.6 lakhPeople in Asansol (Census 2011)[1]
₹5,903Spending per person per month, urban West Bengal, 2023–24[5]
190 kmto Kolkata, the nearest metro (straight line)

Urban households in West Bengal spent an average of ₹5,903 per person per month in 2023–24, below the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[5] Asansol 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. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Kolkata is within a day's delivery, about 190 km away.

Polyhouse farming in Asansol with Kryzen

We have built 2 projects in West Bengal so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Asansol is about 1,270 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.

Towns near Asansol

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

Map of West Bengal

Check other locations in West Bengal

We have farm planning pages for 63 towns in West Bengal, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All West Bengal locations

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

Polyhouse farming in Asansol: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Asansol?

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

Which polyhouse is best for Asansol?

With May highs of about 39°C and 54% 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 Asansol?

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 Asansol?

It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Asansol, 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 Asansol?

Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 1,270 km away, and we have built 2 projects in West Bengal.

Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in West Bengal?

Yes. Protected cultivation projects in West Bengal 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 Asansol 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.

Sudhir Devkar

Sudhir Devkar

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. Wikipedia · Asansol (opens in a new tab)
  2. NASA Langley Research Center · POWER Climatology API: long-term monthly averages (opens in a new tab)
  3. Rubel & Kottek, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna · World map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification (opens in a new tab)
  4. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare · Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) (opens in a new tab)
  5. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) · Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023–24: press note (opens in a new tab)