Does installing Polyhouse make sense in India?

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Q1. What is a Polyhouse?

A1. A polyhouse is a type of greenhouse structure that is covered with a transparent or semi-transparent polythene material.

It is used in countries with…

snowfall or countries whose highest temperature is below 25 degrees and most type of farming is impossible in cold weather.

Q2. Why is Polyhouse used?

A2. It is designed to create a controlled environment for growing plants, offering protection from adverse weather conditions like heavy rain, strong winds, or excessive heat.

By regulating temperature, humidity, light, and ventilation, polyhouses enable year-round cultivation of crops, even in regions with challenging climates.

Polyhouse is used to trap the heat and humidity INCREASE AND MAINTAIN the temperature to around 30-35 degrees. Electricity is used to control and maintain the temperature.

Q3 What is the cost of setting up a Polyhouse?

A3. Setting  up a polyhouse costs around 25 Lakhs per acre:

The cost of installing a polyhouse in India per acre depends on the type of polyhouse:

  • Low-cost polyhouses: ₹18.2–₹30.3 lakh per acre.
  • Medium-tech polyhouses: ₹32.3–₹44.5 lakh per acre.
  • High-tech polyhouses: ₹60.7–₹101.6 lakh per acre.

add to it HUGE RECURRING EXPENSES like:

  1. Electricity Charges: For running irrigation systems, cooling pads, fans, and other equipment.
  2. Labor Costs: for workers to manage planting, harvesting, and maintenance (this can be considered as same for traditional farming too).
  3. Fertilizers and Pesticides: Liquid “nutrients” To ensure healthy crop growth and pest control are a must.
  4. Water Charges: for irrigation, especially if using advanced systems like drip irrigation.
  5. Repairs and Maintenance: For the polyhouse structure, irrigation systems, and other equipment.
  6. Seeds or Saplings: For each planting cycle.
  7. Planting medium (soil): The complete planting medium (or mix or soil or) usually cocopeat will have to be replaced with sterilized medium after EVERY SINGLE HARVEST.

SO YOU NOT ONLY HAVE HIGH INITIAL COST… BUT ALSO HIGHER RECURRING COSTS

You will see that the companies who suggest you to do this type of farming… They THEMSELVES are not doing this type of farming. If it was so profitable then why are they not doing this type of farming.

The people who suggest you such type of farming are either companies/agents/middlemen who manufacture or sell such equipment.

These costs can vary depending on the size of the polyhouse, the type of crops grown, and the level of automation.

In India a Polyhouse is NOT REQUIRED AT ALL… since India is itself a hot and humid country. It can help with unseasonal rain but if your soil has rainwater harvesting (directly to borewells and) a good amount of earthworms and dungbeetle then waterlogging and crop destruction can be avoided to a great extent.

Polyhouse is AT ITS BEST is avoiding unwanted pollination from oustside.. and in prevention of airbone pests entering the farm. But that is least of your concern if you have a multilayer farm with a lot of intercrops.

It can be used in places like Himachal Pradesh etc where the climate is colder… but even there it is not neccessary.

The down side is THE PRICE… which RISTRICTS the size of Installation… YOU CANNOT install it over 5 acres or 10 acres or 20 to 30 acres.

It also doesn’t make much sense to install it over even one acre unless you already have enough demand in hand… eg businesses like shops or malls already buying from you on large scale.

Its is absolutely not profitable… to grow in a polyhouse… and to sell at the APMC Mandi. At the mandi most of the vegetables growers are lucky if they get Rs 2 per kg.

Because most of the time they get just Rs 1/- per kg… that is when there has been nice monsoon and the crops had a perfect climate.

But if you have a Polyhouse and EXPERIENCE VERY BAD CLIMATE … like heavy rains which destroyed traditional farmers crops and your crops survived (since you used vertical farming) and flooding did not affect your crops on the higher levels

THEN YOU WILL GET A GOOD PRICE FOR YOUR CROPS AT THE APMC MANDI… because nobody was able to bring crops to the market.… but these are very rare cases and you cannot invest so much in a business planning to make money in unusual circumstances.

Then what is the other option?

The Other option is to:

  1. Open a demat account and invest that Rs 25 Lakhs in the top stocks in Indian market. Don’t sell the shares for at least 10 yrs. Search on Screener for the 10 best stocks on Indian Stock Market.. or in High dividend earning stocks… or best put half in top 5 Stocks and the other half in top 5 Dividend Stocks.
  2. Then learn about Organic/Natural/ZBNF Farming
  3. Learn about MultiLayer Farming
  4. Practice them

You will see you will earn much more than you will EVER earn with PolyHouse Farming.

Farming is EASY… there is no need to complicate it. Learn it free here: FREE Agriculture Course Online.

Free Agriculture Course Online | Free Online Farming Course | How to Farm ?| How to do farming ?| Farming for beginners | PlugInCaroo

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