Planning polyhouse farming in Varanasi? Varanasi is a city of about 12 lakh people (Census 2011) in Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh[1], about 620 km from Kolkata. We have used the monthly climate for Varanasi 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 Varanasi
May is the hottest month in Varanasi, with average daily highs of about 43°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 8°C.[2] The area gets about 815 mm of rain a year, most of it in June to September, peaking in July at about 249 mm. Average humidity stays at 75% or more in August to September, which raises the risk of leaf disease and slows evaporative cooling. Varanasi sits about 76 m above sea level.[1] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Varanasi falls in the hot-summer Mediterranean zone (Csa).[3]
Varanasi climate by month
Month
Avg high (°C)
Avg low (°C)
Humidity (%)
Rain (mm)
Jan
23.9
8.3
46
12
Feb
28.8
11.8
41
14
Mar
35.4
17.5
29
10
Apr
41.1
24.1
22
11
May
43.3
28.7
26
23
Jun
41.0
30.2
43
110
Jul
34.5
27.1
74
249
Aug
32.7
26.0
82
200
Sep
32.0
24.5
81
146
Oct
31.6
20.0
68
33
Nov
28.2
14.1
58
2
Dec
24.4
9.5
51
5
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Varanasi. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[2]
Advantages of protected cultivation in Varanasi
1
Year-round crops
A polyhouse stretches the season: in Varanasi cucumber can be grown for about 8 months a year under cover, longer than in the open field.
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 249 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 (August to September), so you spray less often.
5
Subsidy eligible
Polyhouse, shade net and nethouse projects in Uttar Pradesh can apply for Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance through the state horticulture department.[4]
Which polyhouse suits Varanasi?
For polyhouse farming in Varanasi, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. The heat in Varanasi comes with dry air. In April to June, average highs reach 43°C while average humidity is only about 30%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 43°C May 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 February and November and costs less to run.
Plan for heavy rain in July (about 249 mm): raise the plinth, size the gutters for that month and keep drains away from the nutrient tank. Sunlight peaks in May at about 6.6 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 November, when it is mild and fairly dry.
Crops for Varanasi
Based on Varanasi's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are cucumber (8 months), chilli pepper (8 months) and capsicum (7 months). Cucumber fits March to May and July to November with Fan & Pad cooling. These are the crops we would plan first for polyhouse farming in Varanasi.
Months each crop suits in Varanasi
Crop
Naturally ventilated polyhouse
With Fan & Pad cooling
Capsicum
Feb and Nov
Feb–Apr and Aug–Nov
Tomato
Feb and Nov–Dec
Feb–Apr and Sep–Dec
Cucumber
Aug–Nov
Mar–May and Jul–Nov
Chilli pepper
Feb and Aug–Nov
Feb–Apr and Jul–Nov
Brinjal
Aug–Nov
Mar–Apr and Jul–Nov
Lettuce
Dec–Jan
Oct–Apr
Broccoli
Jan
Nov–Mar
Strawberry
Dec–Jan
Nov–Feb
Rose
Dec
Feb–Mar and Oct–Dec
Gerbera
Dec
Feb–Mar and Oct–Dec
Carnation
Dec–Jan
Nov–Mar
Chrysanthemum
Dec
Feb–Mar and Oct–Dec
Anthurium
Difficult
Mar–Apr and Jul–Oct
Orchids
Difficult
Mar–Apr and Jul–Oct
Lilium
Jan
Nov–Mar
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.
₹5,474Spending per person per month, urban Uttar Pradesh, 2023–24[5]
620 kmto Kolkata, the nearest metro (straight line)
Urban households in Uttar Pradesh spent an average of ₹5,474 per person per month in 2023–24, below the all-India urban average of ₹7,078.[5] A city of this size has hotels, restaurants, modern retail and quick-commerce stores within its own limits, so most harvests can be sold locally. Line up two or three buyers before planting and agree on grade and delivery days.
Polyhouse farming in Varanasi with Kryzen
We have built 6 projects in Uttar Pradesh so far (see our project map (opens in a new tab)). Varanasi is about 990 km in a straight line from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, our nearest site.
Towns near Varanasi
We also plan and build farms in these towns near Varanasi:
Map: LGD 2024 boundaries via bharatlas, CC BY 4.0. For illustration only.
Polyhouse farming in Varanasi: FAQs
Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Varanasi?
Yes, with the right structure. For Varanasi we would plan a Fan & Pad polyhouse for leafy greens. Even then, lettuce is hard to grow in May to September, so plan another crop for those months.
Which polyhouse is best for Varanasi?
With May highs of about 43°C and 26% 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 Varanasi?
Going by the monthly climate, cucumber, chilli pepper and capsicum have the longest growing windows. Confirm prices and volumes with buyers before you plant.
Is polyhouse farming profitable in Varanasi?
It can be, if the crop, the structure and the buyers match. In Varanasi, 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 Varanasi?
Yes. Our nearest site is our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar warehouse, about 990 km away, and we have built 6 projects in Uttar Pradesh.
Is there a subsidy for polyhouse or hydroponic farms in Uttar Pradesh?
Yes. Protected cultivation projects in Uttar 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 Varanasi 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.
