Polyhouse farming · Maharashtra

Polyhouse Farming in Umred

Monthly climate, crop windows and nearby markets for a polyhouse farm in Umred, with Fan & Pad cooling for dry summer heat.

Sudhir Devkar, founder of Kryzen Biotech

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 5 min read

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

Planning polyhouse farming in Umred? Umred is a town in Nagpur district, Maharashtra, home to about 54,000 people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 400 km from Hyderabad. We have used the monthly climate for Umred 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 Umred

May is the hottest month in Umred, with average daily highs of about 44°C. December has the coolest nights, averaging 12°C.[3] The area gets about 1,234 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 361 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in July to October, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Umred sits about 280 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Umred falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]

Umred climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan29.111.94315
Feb33.215.63510
Mar37.620.32920
Apr42.125.52313
May44.129.32521
Jun37.027.058223
Jul30.623.982361
Aug29.423.487310
Sep30.022.885200
Oct29.719.37648
Nov28.814.96810
Dec28.211.7563
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Umred. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]

Advantages of protected cultivation in Umred

  • Year-round crops

    Under cover, chilli pepper can be grown for 11 months a year in Umred, 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 July's 361 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 (July to October), so you spray less often.

  • Subsidy eligible

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

Which polyhouse suits Umred?

For polyhouse farming in Umred, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Umred comes with dry air. In April to May, average highs reach 44°C while average humidity is only about 24%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 44°C May 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. For vine crops such as capsicum and cucumber, a naturally ventilated polyhouse with a shade screen works from July to January and costs less to run.

Protected structures to compare

Plan for heavy rain in July (about 361 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.0 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 February, when it is mild and fairly dry.

Crops for Umred

Based on Umred's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are chilli pepper (11 months), capsicum (10 months) and tomato (10 months). Chilli pepper fits June to April with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Umred.

Months each crop suits in Umred

CropNaturally ventilated polyhouseWith Fan & Pad cooling
CapsicumJul–JanJul–Apr
TomatoJul–JanJul–Apr
CucumberFeb and Jul–NovFeb–Nov
Chilli pepperJul–JanJun–Apr
BrinjalJul–NovFeb–Apr and Jun–Nov
LettuceDifficultJul–Mar
BroccoliDifficultNov–Feb
StrawberryDifficultNov–Jan
RoseDifficultOct–Mar
GerberaDifficultAug–Mar
CarnationDifficultNov–Feb
ChrysanthemumDifficultOct–Mar
AnthuriumAug–OctFeb–Apr and Jun–Oct
OrchidsAug–OctFeb–Apr and Jun–Oct
LiliumDifficultNov–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.

Suggested crops for Umred

Selling your harvest in and around Umred

54,000People in Umred (GeoNames)[1]
₹7,415Spending per person per month, urban Maharashtra, 2023–24[6]
400 kmto Hyderabad, the nearest metro (straight line)

Urban households in Maharashtra spent an average of ₹7,415 per person per month in 2023–24, above the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[6] Local demand in Umred may be small for exotic greens, so plan where the rest of the harvest goes. Nagpur, about 40 km away, is the nearest larger market on our list.

Polyhouse farming in Umred with Kryzen

We have built 95 projects in Maharashtra so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Umred is about 430 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.

Towns near Umred

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

Map of Maharashtra

Check other locations in Maharashtra

We have farm planning pages for 130 towns in Maharashtra, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All Maharashtra locations

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

Polyhouse farming in Umred: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Umred?

Yes, with the right structure. For Umred 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 Umred?

With May highs of about 44°C and 25% 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 Umred?

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

Is polyhouse farming profitable in Umred?

It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Umred, chilli pepper 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 Umred?

Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 430 km away, and we have built 95 projects in Maharashtra.

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

Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Maharashtra 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 Umred 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 · Umred (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)