Planning polyhouse farming in Rau? Rau is a small town in Indore district, Madhya Pradesh, home to about 36,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 330 km from Ahmedabad. We have used the monthly climate for Rau 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 Rau
May is the hottest month in Rau, with average daily highs of about 41°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 10°C.[3] The area gets about 922 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 288 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Rau falls in the tropical savanna (dry summer) zone (As).[4]
Rau climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
26.7
9.9
36
5
Feb
30.6
13.0
28
3
Mar
35.2
17.6
23
7
Apr
39.6
22.5
21
4
May
41.2
25.6
30
11
Jun
35.5
24.7
58
129
Jul
29.6
22.6
80
288
Aug
27.8
21.8
87
275
Sep
28.7
20.9
83
158
Oct
29.6
17.7
67
26
Nov
28.6
14.0
55
12
Dec
27.0
10.9
43
4
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Rau, adjusted for the town's elevation[5]. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Rau
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, tomato can be grown for 11 months a year in Rau, 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 288 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 Madhya Pradesh can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[6]
Which polyhouse suits Rau?
For polyhouse farming in Rau, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Rau comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 41°C while average humidity is only about 26%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 41°C May afternoon down to roughly 29°C inside a Fan & Pad polyhouse, cool enough for lettuce and other leafy greens. For vine crops such as capsicum and cucumber, a naturally ventilated polyhouse with a shade screen works from February and July to November and costs less to run.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 288 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.3 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 December, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Rau
Based on Rau's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are tomato (11 months), capsicum (10 months) and chilli pepper (10 months). Tomato fits June to April with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Rau.
Months each crop suits in Rau
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Feb and Jul–Nov
Feb–Nov
Tomato
Jul–Feb
Jun–Apr
Cucumber
Jul–Nov
Mar–Nov
Chilli pepper
Feb and Jul–Nov
Feb–Nov
Brinjal
Jul–Nov
Mar–Nov
Lettuce
Dec–Jan and Aug
Jul–Apr
Broccoli
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Strawberry
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Rose
Dec–Jan
Sep–Mar
Gerbera
Dec–Jan and Aug
Jul–Apr
Carnation
Difficult
Nov–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Dec–Jan
Sep–Mar
Anthurium
Jul–Oct
Mar–Oct
Orchids
Jul–Oct
Mar–Oct
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.
₹5,589Spending per person per month, urban Madhya Pradesh, 2023–24[7]
330 kmto Ahmedabad, the nearest metro (straight line)
Urban households in Madhya Pradesh spent an average of ₹5,589 per person per month in 2023–24, below the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[7] Local demand in Rau may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Indore, about 10 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list.
Polyhouse farming in Rau with Kryzen
We have built 8 projects in Madhya Pradesh so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Rau is about 310 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Rau
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Rau:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Rau: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Rau?
Yes, with the right structure. For Rau 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 Rau?
With May highs of about 41°C and 30% 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 Rau?
Going by the monthly climate, tomato, capsicum and chilli pepper have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Is polyhouse farming profitable in Rau?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Rau, tomato 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 Rau?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 310 km away, and we have built 8 projects in Madhya Pradesh.
Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Madhya Pradesh?
Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Madhya Pradesh 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 Rau 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.
