Planning polyhouse farming in Haldia? Haldia is a mid-sized city in Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, home to about 2 lakh people (Census 2011)[1], about 60 km from Kolkata. We have used the monthly climate for Haldia 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 Haldia
April is the hottest month in Haldia, with average daily highs of about 35°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 13°C.[2] The area gets about 1,717 mm of rain a year, most of it in May to October, peaking in July at about 364 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in June to October, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Haldia sits about 8 m above sea level.[1] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Haldia falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[3]
Haldia climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
24.6
12.9
66
14
Feb
28.9
16.9
62
22
Mar
33.2
22.0
62
32
Apr
34.9
25.5
68
55
May
34.0
27.0
74
147
Jun
31.7
27.6
83
248
Jul
30.5
27.0
87
364
Aug
30.1
26.7
88
340
Sep
29.9
26.4
87
287
Oct
29.6
24.2
80
168
Nov
27.5
19.1
74
31
Dec
24.6
14.1
71
9
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Haldia. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[2]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Haldia
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, cucumber can be grown for 10 months a year in Haldia, 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 364 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 (June to October), so you spray less often.
5
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 Haldia?
For polyhouse farming in Haldia, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. In Haldia the heat comes with humidity: during March to May average humidity is about 68%. Wet pads cool much less in humid air: on a typical April afternoon they would only bring 35°C down to about 31°C. So we usually start with a tall naturally ventilated polyhouse with wide roof vents, insect net and a shade screen. A Fan & Pad polyhouse still makes sense if buyers need lettuce through the hottest months, but expect a smaller temperature drop than in dry inland towns.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 364 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. A nethouse, the lowest-cost option, can grow hardy crops in November to March, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Haldia
Based on Haldia's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are cucumber (10 months), chilli pepper (8 months) and brinjal (7 months). Cucumber fits February to March and May to December in a naturally ventilated polyhouse. Lilium and broccoli 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 Haldia.
Months each crop suits in Haldia
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Sep–Feb
Sep–Apr
Tomato
Oct–Feb
Oct–Apr
Cucumber
Feb–Mar and May–Dec
Feb–Dec
Chilli pepper
Jul–Feb
Jul–May
Brinjal
Feb and Jul–Dec
Feb–May and Jul–Dec
Lettuce
Nov–Jan
Oct–Mar
Broccoli
Difficult
Dec–Feb
Strawberry
Dec–Jan
Dec–Jan
Rose
Nov–Jan
Nov–Feb
Gerbera
Nov–Jan
Nov–Mar
Carnation
Dec–Jan
Dec–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Nov–Jan
Nov–Feb
Anthurium
Feb and Sep–Nov
Feb–May and Jul–Nov
Orchids
Feb and Sep–Nov
Feb–May and Jul–Nov
Lilium
Difficult
Dec–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.
₹5,903Spending per person per month, urban West Bengal, 2023–24[5]
60 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] Haldia 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. Maheshtala, about 50 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Kolkata is within a day's delivery, about 60 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Haldia with Kryzen
We have built 2 projects in West Bengal so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Haldia is about 1,350 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Haldia
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Haldia:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Haldia: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Haldia?
Yes, with the right structure. For Haldia we would plan a tall naturally ventilated polyhouse with wide vents and insect net. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in April to September, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Haldia?
With April highs of about 35°C and 68% average humidity in that month, we would start with a tall naturally ventilated polyhouse with wide vents and insect net.
Which crops should I grow in a polyhouse in Haldia?
Going by the monthly climate, cucumber, chilli pepper and brinjal have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Is polyhouse farming profitable in Haldia?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Haldia, cucumber and chilli pepper 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 Haldia?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 1,350 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 Haldia 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.
