Polyhouse farming · Abu Dhabi, UAE

Polyhouse Farming in Abu Dhabi

Monthly climate, crop windows and nearby markets for a polyhouse farm in Abu Dhabi, with Fan & Pad for greens, natural ventilation for vine crops.

Kryzen Biotech వ్యవస్థాపకుడు Sudhir Devkar

By Sudhir Devkar, Founder & CEO, Kryzen Biotech

Updated · 4 min read

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

Planning polyhouse farming in Abu Dhabi? Abu Dhabi is the main city of the emirate of the same name, United Arab Emirates[1]. Below we use the town's monthly temperatures, humidity and rainfall to work out which structure fits, which crops to grow and in which months, before you spend on construction.

Climate for polyhouse farming in Abu Dhabi

August is the hottest month in Abu Dhabi, with average daily highs of about 39°C. January has the coolest nights, averaging 18°C.[2] Rain is scarce: about 64 mm a year. Water for the farm will come from a borewell, well, tanker or municipal supply, so test its salts (EC) and hardness before choosing the system. Abu Dhabi sits about 14 m above sea level.[1] On the Köppen–Geiger climate map, Abu Dhabi falls in the hot desert zone (BWh).[3]

Abu Dhabi climate by month

MonthAvg high (°C)Avg low (°C)Humidity (%)Rain (mm)
Jan22.317.66511
Feb23.417.8645
Mar26.320.06213
Apr30.323.4586
May34.527.1583
Jun36.429.3623
Jul38.031.4601
Aug38.631.9571
Sep36.730.4585
Oct33.627.9571
Nov28.924.3596
Dec24.620.3649
Area averages (a grid cell of about 50 km) for 2001–2025, from NASA POWER, centred on Abu Dhabi. Rainfall and night temperatures at your plot can differ, especially near hills and the coast.[2]

Advantages of protected cultivation in Abu Dhabi

  • ఏడాది పొడవునా పంటలు

    A polyhouse stretches the season: in Abu Dhabi cucumber can be grown for about 9 months a year under cover, longer than in the open field.

  • మెరుగైన దిగుబడి మరియు ధర

    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.

  • తక్కువ నీరు

    With only about 64 mm of rain a year here, drip irrigation under cover saves water: less is lost to evaporation and run-off than in the open field.

  • Less pesticides

    Insect net on vents and doors keeps out most pests, so you spray less often.

Which polyhouse suits Abu Dhabi?

For polyhouse farming in Abu Dhabi, the structure decides which months you can crop and what it costs to run. Average highs stay at 33°C or more in May to October, with moderate humidity of about 59%. In that dry air, wet pads can bring a 39°C August afternoon down to roughly 33°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

Sunlight peaks in June at about 7.4 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 March to April and October to December, when it is mild and fairly dry.

Crops for Abu Dhabi

Based on Abu Dhabi's climate, the crops with the longest growing windows are cucumber (9 months), chilli pepper (7 months) and brinjal (7 months). Cucumber fits October to June 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 Abu Dhabi.

Months each crop suits in Abu Dhabi

పంటసహజ వెంటిలేషన్ పాలీహౌస్With Fan & Pad cooling
క్యాప్సికమ్Nov–AprNov–Apr
టమాటాNov–AprNov–Apr
దోసకాయOct–AprOct–Jun
Chilli pepperNov–AprNov–May
వంకాయNov–AprNov–May
లెట్యూస్Dec–MarNov–Apr
బ్రోకలీDifficultDifficult
స్ట్రాబెర్రీDifficultDifficult
గులాబీDec–MarDec–Mar
గెర్బెరాDec–MarDec–Apr
కార్నేషన్DifficultDifficult
చామంతిDec–MarDec–Mar
ఆంథూరియంNov–MarNov–May
ఆర్కిడ్లుNov–MarNov–May
లిలియంDifficultDifficult
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 Abu Dhabi

Polyhouse farming in Abu Dhabi with Kryzen

Every project starts with your site data: plot size, water quality and the crops your buyers want. We review it with you online and prepare a project report before construction starts.

Towns near Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi

Check other locations in Abu Dhabi

We have farm planning pages for 5 towns in Abu Dhabi, each with its own climate, crops and market notes.

All Abu Dhabi locations

Polyhouse farming in Abu Dhabi: FAQs

Can a polyhouse farm run all year in Abu Dhabi?

Yes, with the right structure. For Abu Dhabi 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 May to October, so plan another crop for those months.

Which polyhouse is best for Abu Dhabi?

With August highs of about 39°C and 57% 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 Abu Dhabi?

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

Discuss your Abu Dhabi 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. వికీపీడియా · Abu Dhabi (కొత్త ట్యాబ్‌లో తెరుచుకుంటుంది)
  2. NASA Langley Research Center · POWER Climatology API: long-term monthly averages (కొత్త ట్యాబ్‌లో తెరుచుకుంటుంది)
  3. Rubel & Kottek, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna · World map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification (కొత్త ట్యాబ్‌లో తెరుచుకుంటుంది)