Polyhouse farming · Kerala

Polyhouse Farming in Shoranur

Monthly climate, crop windows and nearby markets for a polyhouse farm in Shoranur, 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 Shoranur: aerial view of a large protected cultivation farm with polyhouses

Planning polyhouse farming in Shoranur? Shoranur is a town in Palakkad district, Kerala, home to about 44,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 290 km from Bengaluru. We have used the monthly climate for Shoranur 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 Shoranur

March is the hottest month in Shoranur, with average daily highs of about 37°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 20°C.[3] The area gets about 1,986 mm of rain a year, most of it in May to November, peaking in June at about 393 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in May to December, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Shoranur sits about 49 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Shoranur falls in the tropical monsoon zone (Am).[4]

Shoranur climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan33.320.1656
Feb35.621.45810
Mar36.623.46134
Apr35.024.87283
May32.224.981188
Jun29.324.289393
Jul28.323.591375
Aug28.423.191283
Sep29.023.190215
Oct29.523.187246
Nov29.822.183127
Dec30.620.57626
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Shoranur, 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 Shoranur

  • Year-round crops

    Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Shoranur, 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 June's 393 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 (May to December), so you spray less often.

  • Subsidy eligible

    Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Kerala can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[6]

Which polyhouse suits Shoranur?

For polyhouse farming in Shoranur, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. Average highs stay at 33°C or more in January to April, with moderate humidity of about 64%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 37°C March 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

Plan for heavy rain in June (about 393 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank.

Crops for Shoranur

Based on Shoranur'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 Shoranur.

Months each crop suits in Shoranur

CropNaturally ventilated polyhouseWith Fan & Pad cooling
CapsicumJun–DecAll year
TomatoJun–DecAll year
CucumberMay–JanAll year
Chilli pepperMay–DecAll year
BrinjalMay–DecAll year
LettuceDifficultJun–Jan
BroccoliDifficultDifficult
StrawberryDifficultDifficult
RoseDifficultDec–Jan
GerberaDifficultJul–Jan
CarnationDifficultDifficult
ChrysanthemumDifficultDec–Jan
AnthuriumJun–NovMay–Mar
OrchidsJun–NovMay–Mar
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 Shoranur

Selling your harvest in and around Shoranur

44,000People in Shoranur (GeoNames)[1]
₹7,834Spending per person per month, urban Kerala, 2023–24[7]
290 kmto Bengaluru, the nearest metro (straight line)

Urban households in Kerala spent an average of ₹7,834 per person per month in 2023–24, above the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[7] Local demand in Shoranur may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Thrissur, about 30 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list.

Polyhouse farming in Shoranur with Kryzen

Shoranur is about 840 km in a straight line from our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), our nearest site.

Towns near Shoranur

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

Map of Kerala

Check other locations in Kerala

We have farm planning pages for 51 towns in Kerala, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All Kerala locations

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

Polyhouse farming in Shoranur: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Shoranur?

Yes, with the right structure. For Shoranur 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 February to May, so plan another crop for those months.

Which polyhouse is best for Shoranur?

With March highs of about 37°C and 61% 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 Shoranur?

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 Shoranur?

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

Yes. Our nearest site is our factory and master warehouse at Degaon, Wai (Satara), about 840 km away.

Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Kerala?

Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Kerala 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 Shoranur 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 · Shoranur (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. Registry of Open Data on AWS · Terrain Tiles: global elevation data (opens in a new tab)
  6. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare · Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) (opens in a new tab)
  7. Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) · Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023–24: press note (opens in a new tab)