Naturally Ventilated Polyhouse - Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh

Srikalahasti sits on the low eastern plains of Andhra Pradesh, near Tirupati, at roughly 100 metres above sea level with a tropical wet-and-dry (savanna) climate. Heat is the defining feature here temperatures climb steeply through the pre-monsoon months, with April and May routinely touching 40°C and beyond. Rain, by contrast, is squeezed into a short, intense window: of the region's roughly 917 mm of annual rainfall, the bulk falls during the northeast monsoon, with November the wettest month and humidity peaking alongside it. For cucumber growers, that's the worst of both ends. Severe pre-monsoon heat triggers flower drop, poor fruit set, and bitterness, while the concentrated monsoon brings exactly the heavy rain and high humidity that drive downy mildew and fruit rot.

Open-field cucumber here means fighting blistering heat for half the year and disease pressure for the other half.

The Structure

A 2,112 sqm Naturally Ventilated Polyhouse was installed to even out both extremes. In Srikalahasti's climate, the priority is maximum airflow and a shaded, buffered canopy through the hot months, paired with complete protection from the short, driving northeast monsoon not the running cost of an active fan-and-pad system. An NVPH, designed for generous ventilation, delivers that balance.

The structure was laid out with its ridge and side ventilation aligned to the prevailing wind, so heat is shed continuously through the peak summer months and humidity stays in check when the monsoon arrives keeping the crop dry and protected while air keeps moving. Inside, 6,000 cucumber plants were established in soil and trained vertically, making efficient use of the protected growing space.

The result is a steadier, year-round environment for cucumber, one that takes the edge off Srikalahasti's extreme heat and shields the crop through a short but punishing monsoon, turning a difficult open-field crop into a dependable one.