Planning polyhouse farming in Songadh? Songadh is a small town in Gujarat, home to about 27,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 230 km from Ahmedabad. This guide works from Songadh'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 Songadh
April is the hottest month in Songadh, with average daily highs of about 41°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 15°C.[3] The area gets about 1,394 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 456 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Songadh sits about 112 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Songadh falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]
Songadh climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
31.3
14.5
35
1
Feb
34.2
16.6
32
3
Mar
37.7
19.8
33
4
Apr
40.7
22.8
39
3
May
40.4
24.9
51
7
Jun
34.3
25.3
73
266
Jul
29.8
24.3
88
456
Aug
29.0
23.6
90
363
Sep
29.9
23.0
88
231
Oct
31.7
20.9
71
44
Nov
32.1
17.9
56
13
Dec
31.5
15.6
42
3
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Songadh, 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 Songadh
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, cucumber can be grown for the whole year in Songadh, 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 456 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 Gujarat can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[6]
Which polyhouse suits Songadh?
For polyhouse farming in Songadh, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Songadh comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 41°C while average humidity is only about 45%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 41°C April afternoon down to roughly 31°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 July to September and costs less to run.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 456 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 October to January, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Songadh
Based on Songadh's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are cucumber (all year), chilli pepper (all year) and brinjal (all year). Cucumber fits all year with Fan & Pad cooling. Strawberry is hard to time here, so we would leave it out of the first season. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Songadh.
Months each crop suits in Songadh
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Jul–Sep
Jun–Apr
Tomato
Jul–Sep
Jun–Apr
Cucumber
Jul–Jan
All year
Chilli pepper
Jul–Jan
All year
Brinjal
Jul–Jan
All year
Lettuce
Difficult
Jul–Mar
Broccoli
Difficult
Dec–Feb
Strawberry
Difficult
Jan
Rose
Difficult
Oct–Mar
Gerbera
Difficult
Sep–Mar
Carnation
Difficult
Dec–Feb
Chrysanthemum
Difficult
Oct–Mar
Anthurium
Jul–Sep
Feb–Apr and Jun–Dec
Orchids
Jul–Sep
Feb–Apr and Jun–Dec
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.
₹7,198Spending per person per month, urban Gujarat, 2023–24[7]
230 kmto Ahmedabad, the nearest metro (straight line)
Urban households in Gujarat spent an average of ₹7,198 per person per month in 2023–24, close to the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[7] Local demand in Songadh may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Navsari, about 70 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Ahmedabad is within a day's delivery, about 230 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Songadh with Kryzen
We have built 12 projects in Gujarat so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Songadh is about 130 km in a straight line from our Nashik warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Songadh
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Songadh:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Songadh: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Songadh?
Yes, with the right structure. For Songadh we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in April to June, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Songadh?
With April highs of about 41°C and 39% 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 Songadh?
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 Songadh?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Songadh, 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 Songadh?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Nashik warehouse, about 130 km away, and we have built 12 projects in Gujarat.
Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Gujarat?
Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Gujarat 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 Songadh 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.
