Planning polyhouse farming in Dubai? Dubai is the main city of the emirate of the same name, United Arab Emirates[1]. This guide works from Dubai'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 Dubai
August is the hottest month in Dubai, with average daily highs of about 39°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 17°C.[2] Rain is scarce: about 85 mm a year. Water for the farm will come from a borewell, well, tanker or municipal supply, so test its salts (EC) and hardness before choosing the system. On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Dubai falls in the hot desert zone (BWh).[3]
Dubai climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
22.8
17.3
63
17
Feb
24.0
17.6
62
8
Mar
26.9
19.7
61
16
Apr
30.7
23.0
58
9
May
34.9
26.4
58
4
Jun
37.3
28.9
60
4
Jul
38.9
31.2
56
1
Aug
39.3
31.6
52
1
Sep
37.2
29.7
55
2
Oct
34.0
27.3
56
1
Nov
29.4
23.7
57
8
Dec
25.1
19.8
62
14
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Dubai. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[2]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Dubai
1
Year-round crops
A polyhouse stretches the season: in Dubai cucumber can be grown for about 9 months a year under cover, longer than in the open field.
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
With only about 85 mm of rain a year here, drip irrigation under cover saves water: less is lost to evaporation and run-off than in the open field.
4
Less pesticides
Insect net on vents and doors keeps out most pests, so you spray less often.
Which polyhouse suits Dubai?
For polyhouse farming in Dubai, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Dubai comes with dry air. In July to August, average highs reach 39°C while average humidity is only about 54%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 39°C August 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 November to April and costs less to run.
Sunlight peaks in June at about 7.4 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 to April and October to December, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Dubai
Based on Dubai's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are cucumber (9 months), chilli pepper (8 months) and brinjal (8 months). Cucumber fits October to June with Fan & Pad cooling. Strawberry and lilium are hard to time here, so we would leave them out of the first season. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Dubai.
Months each crop suits in Dubai
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Nov–Apr
Nov–May
Tomato
Nov–Apr
Nov–Apr
Cucumber
Oct–Apr
Oct–Jun
Chilli pepper
Nov–Apr
Oct–May
Brinjal
Nov–Apr
Oct–May
Lettuce
Dec–Mar
Nov–Apr
Broccoli
Jan
Jan
Strawberry
Difficult
Difficult
Rose
Dec–Mar
Dec–Mar
Gerbera
Dec–Mar
Dec–Apr
Carnation
Jan
Jan
Chrysanthemum
Dec–Mar
Dec–Mar
Anthurium
Nov–Mar
Oct–May
Orchids
Nov–Mar
Oct–May
Lilium
Jan
Jan
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.
Every project starts with your site data: plot size, water quality and the crops your buyers want. We review it with you online and prepare a project report before construction starts.
Towns near Dubai
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Dubai:
Yes, with the right structure. For Dubai we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in May to October, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Dubai?
With August highs of about 39°C and 52% 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 Dubai?
Going by the monthly climate, cucumber, chilli pepper and brinjal have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Discuss your Dubai 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.
