Polyhouses in Maharashtra, India
National Horticulture center at Talegaon Dabhade has changed fortunes of many farmers in the area. Many farmers in Talegaon Dabhade have built polyhouse to grow flowers. During covid, there was a big slowdown in the industry but 2023 onwards, demand for flowers has started growing again. Traditionally farmers in Maval region have grown crops like sugracrane or Paddy but now they have turn to modern farming. Flowers are being exported to countries all over the world.
It's important to build good quality polyhouse along with great soil and fertilizer in order to grow high quality flowers. Demand for rose flowers is very high in Feb due to valentine day falling on 14 Feb. Other types of flowers that are in demand are gerbera, lilium etc.
Vijayrao Pawar from Kadbanwadi, Indapur is also earning good income using polyhouse technology.
Polyhouse construction cost
It costs around 60-75 lakhs to build polyhouse on 1 acre land. But you can get 50% subsidy from National Horticulture board. Cold storage room investment needs around 7-10 Lakhs.
Climate control
It is important to maintain temperature of 30 to 35 degree celcius with humidity of 60 to 75% inside the polyhouse.
Advantages of polyhouse
- protection from rain, hailstorm, cyclones etc
- drip irrigation
- protection from pests
- more yield (more than 5x) due to optimal climate control and fertigation system
- Various types of crops can be grown
- We can grow veggies all over year
Risks
Polyhouse construction needs lot of time and investment and that's why small farmers do not tend to invest in these kinds of technology. Initial investment and inadequate skills are a big barriers. If things do not go as expected, farmers may incur huge losses. Another risk is that harsh weather conditions or cyclone can damage the polyhouse. This risk can be reduced by purchasing the insurance to cover against such losses.
One more risk is that polyhouses need regular maintainance as well.
How to apply for subsidy
Online application can be done on National Horticulture Board website www.nhb.gov.in