Polyhouse farming · Tamil Nadu

Polyhouse Farming in Natham

Monthly climate, crop windows and nearby markets for a polyhouse farm in Natham, with Fan & Pad for greens, natural ventilation for vine crops.

Sudhir Devkar, founder of Kryzen Biotech

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 5 min read

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

Planning polyhouse farming in Natham? Natham is a small town in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, home to about 24,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 310 km from Bengaluru. We have used the monthly climate for Natham 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 Natham

April is the hottest month in Natham, with average daily highs of about 37°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 18°C.[3] The area gets about 962 mm of rain a year, most of it in May and September to November, peaking in October at about 197 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in October to December, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Natham sits about 245 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Natham falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]

Natham climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan30.117.8749
Feb33.319.06412
Mar36.322.05723
Apr36.624.45950
May35.324.864101
Jun34.023.56557
Jul33.623.26372
Aug33.522.76689
Sep33.122.670115
Oct31.022.378197
Nov28.520.984177
Dec28.118.98360
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Natham. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]

Advantages of protected cultivation in Natham

  • Year-round crops

    Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Natham, 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 October's 197 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 (October to December), so you spray less often.

  • Subsidy eligible

    Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Tamil Nadu can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[5]

Which polyhouse suits Natham?

For polyhouse farming in Natham, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. Average highs stay at 33°C or more in February to September, with moderate humidity of about 64%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 37°C April afternoon down to roughly 32°C inside a Fan & Pad polyhouse, which keeps herbs and vine crops going; lettuce will still struggle in the hottest weeks. Capsicum, cucumber and tomato do well in a naturally ventilated polyhouse with a shade screen. If you want one structure, decide by crop: greens all year point to Fan & Pad; vine crops point to a naturally ventilated house.

Protected structures to compare

Sunlight peaks in April at about 6.5 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 December to February and June to August, when it is mild and fairly dry.

Crops for Natham

Based on Natham's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are capsicum (all year), tomato (all year) and cucumber (all year). Capsicum fits all year with Fan & Pad cooling. Lilium and carnation 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 Natham.

Months each crop suits in Natham

CropNaturally ventilated polyhouseWith Fan & Pad cooling
CapsicumOct–JanAll year
TomatoOct–JanAll year
CucumberJun–FebAll year
Chilli pepperOct–JanAll year
BrinjalOct–JanAll year
LettuceDifficultOct–Feb and Jul–Aug
BroccoliDifficultDifficult
StrawberryDifficultDifficult
RoseDifficultNov–Feb
GerberaDifficultOct–Feb and Jul–Aug
CarnationDifficultDifficult
ChrysanthemumDifficultNov–Feb
AnthuriumNov–DecAll year
OrchidsNov–DecAll year
LiliumDifficultDifficult
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 Natham

Selling your harvest in and around Natham

24,000People in Natham (GeoNames)[1]
₹8,325Spending per person per month, urban Tamil Nadu, 2023–24[6]
310 kmto Bengaluru, the nearest metro (straight line)

Urban households in Tamil Nadu spent an average of ₹8,325 per person per month in 2023–24, above the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Natham may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Dindigul, about 30 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list.

Polyhouse farming in Natham with Kryzen

We have built 9 projects in Tamil Nadu so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Natham is about 980 km in a straight line from our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), our nearest site.

Towns near Natham

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

Map of Tamil Nadu

Check other locations in Tamil Nadu

We have farm planning pages for 121 towns in Tamil Nadu, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All Tamil Nadu locations

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

Polyhouse farming in Natham: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Natham?

Yes, with the right structure. For Natham we would plan Fan & Pad cooling for leafy greens and a naturally ventilated polyhouse for vine crops. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in March to June and September, so plan another crop for those months.

Which polyhouse is best for Natham?

With April highs of about 37°C and 59% average humidity in that month, we would start with Fan & Pad cooling for leafy greens and a naturally ventilated polyhouse for vine crops.

Which crops should I grow in a polyhouse in Natham?

Going by the monthly climate, capsicum, tomato and cucumber have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.

Is polyhouse farming profitable in Natham?

It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Natham, capsicum and tomato 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 Natham?

Yes. Our nearest site is our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), about 980 km away, and we have built 9 projects in Tamil Nadu.

Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Tamil Nadu?

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