Planning polyhouse farming in Vapi? Vapi is a mid-sized city in Valsad district, Gujarat, home to about 1.6 lakh people (GeoNames)[1][2], about 140 km from Mumbai. This guide works from Vapi'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 Vapi
April is the hottest month in Vapi, with average daily highs of about 39°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 15°C.[3] The area gets about 2,021 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 678 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in June to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Vapi sits about 27 m above sea level.[2] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Vapi falls in the tropical savanna (dry winter) zone (Aw).[4]
Vapi climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
31.5
14.9
38
1
Feb
33.7
16.7
38
3
Mar
36.8
19.7
41
3
Apr
39.0
22.5
50
3
May
37.8
25.0
59
9
Jun
32.4
25.8
77
415
Jul
28.7
24.8
89
678
Aug
28.1
24.0
90
511
Sep
29.1
23.3
88
323
Oct
31.4
21.0
72
59
Nov
32.5
18.2
56
12
Dec
32.0
16.2
43
4
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Vapi. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[3]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Vapi
1
Year-round crops
Under cover, capsicum can be grown for the whole year in Vapi, 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 678 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 (June 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.[5]
Which polyhouse suits Vapi?
For polyhouse farming in Vapi, 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 May, with moderate humidity of about 47%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 39°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.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 678 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 7.1 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 Vapi
Based on Vapi's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are capsicum (all year), cucumber (all year) and chilli pepper (all year). Capsicum 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 Vapi.
Months each crop suits in Vapi
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Jul–Sep
All year
Tomato
Jul–Sep
Jul–May
Cucumber
Jun–Feb
All year
Chilli pepper
Jun–Jan
All year
Brinjal
Jun–Jan
All year
Lettuce
Difficult
Aug–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–Mar and Jun–Dec
Orchids
Jul–Sep
Feb–Mar 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[6]
140 kmto Mumbai, 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.[6] Vapi is large enough for steady local sales to restaurants, hotels and fruit-and-vegetable retailers. Start with a farm size that matches the orders you can confirm. For premium vegetable and flower buyers, Mumbai is within a day's delivery, about 140 km away.
Polyhouse farming in Vapi with Kryzen
We have built 12 projects in Gujarat so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Vapi is about 100 km in a straight line from our Nashik warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Vapi
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Vapi:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Vapi: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Vapi?
Yes, with the right structure. For Vapi 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 April to July, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Vapi?
With April highs of about 39°C and 50% 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 Vapi?
Going by the monthly climate, capsicum, cucumber and chilli pepper have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Is polyhouse farming profitable in Vapi?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Vapi, capsicum and cucumber 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 Vapi?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Nashik warehouse, about 100 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 Vapi 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.
