Polyhouse ROI & When Does It Pay Back?
Returns the investment
Enter the area, cost per m², subsidy, yield, price and running cost to get the payback in years, the net investment after subsidy, the annual profit and the ROI%.
Enter your polyhouse
Next: with ~₹5,00,000 net cost and ~₹2,50,000/yr profit, payback is ~2 yr; secure the subsidy, target off-season high-value crops, and budget for replacing the film every 3–4 years.
Yields and prices vary by crop and market; include film replacement, drip and crop-failure risk; confirm subsidy eligibility (e.g. MIDH / NHB).
Polyhouse ROI — key facts
- Investment
- area × cost per m²
- Net investment
- investment × (1 − subsidy)
- Annual profit
- area × (yield × price − running)
- Payback
- net investment ÷ profit
- ROI%
- profit ÷ net investment
- Film renewal
- every 3–4 years
- Subsidy
- e.g. MIDH / NHB (verify)
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
A big spend that can pay for itself fast
Protected cultivation costs a lot up front, and that scares many farmers off. But a polyhouse lets you grow high-value crops out of season, shielded from rain, heat and pests, at yields and prices the open field can't match. Add a government subsidy that covers a large share of the structure, and the net cost you actually fund is far smaller than the sticker price — often recovered in just a few years of strong off-season margins. The question is never the gross cost; it's the payback.
This tool computes the payback in years, the net investment after subsidy, the annual profit, the ROI%, the subsidy and the annual revenue in 8 currencies. Budget separately for film replacement every 3–4 years and for crop-failure risk, and confirm your subsidy eligibility before you rely on it. Pair it with the Farm ROI & Payback, Solar Pump ROI and Cost of Cultivation tools to plan the whole investment.
See the real cost
Net investment after the subsidy you qualify for.
Know the payback
Years for off-season profit to recover the cost.
Compare structures
Test simple vs climate-controlled per m².
Stress-test it
Try lower yields and prices to check the risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is polyhouse ROI calculated?+
First the investment = area × cost per m². A subsidy cuts what you actually pay, so net investment = investment × (1 − subsidy). Annual profit = area × (yield × price − running cost). Payback in years = net investment ÷ annual profit, and ROI% = annual profit ÷ net investment. The tool does all of this and shows each figure so you can see what drives the return.
Why does protected cultivation pay back so fast?+
A polyhouse costs a lot to build, but it lets you grow high-value crops out of season, protect them from rain, pests and heat, and get much higher, more reliable yields and prices than the open field. A subsidy lowers the up-front cost, and the strong off-season margins mean the net cost is often recovered in just a few years rather than a decade.
How much does a polyhouse cost to build?+
It depends on the structure: a simple naturally ventilated polyhouse costs less per m² than a fan-and-pad climate-controlled one. Enter your quoted cost per m² and the area, and the tool gives the total investment. Remember to budget for the planting media, irrigation/fertigation system and any climate equipment within that cost per m².
How does the subsidy work?+
Government schemes for protected cultivation (for example MIDH or NHB in India) can cover a large share of the structure cost, paid as a percentage up to an area and cost ceiling. The tool applies your subsidy percentage to show the net investment you actually fund. Always confirm current rates, caps and eligibility before relying on a subsidy in your plan.
What running costs should I include?+
Include seedlings or planting material, fertiliser and fertigation, crop protection, labour, electricity for pumps and any fans, and routine maintenance. The tool takes a running cost per m² per year and nets it off the gross income, so the annual profit it shows is the margin after these recurring expenses — not just the revenue.
How often must the polyhouse film be replaced?+
The UV-stabilised polyethylene cover typically lasts about 3–4 years before it needs replacing, and insect nets and shade nets wear too. This is a real recurring cost on top of the structure, so set aside a sinking fund for it. Treat the headline payback as the time to recover the structure, then keep budgeting for film renewal.
What is a realistic ROI for a polyhouse?+
Well-run polyhouses growing high-value crops — coloured capsicum, exotic vegetables, cut flowers — often show strong annual ROI and a payback of a few years on the net (post-subsidy) cost. But results vary widely with crop choice, market access, agronomy skill and price realisation. Use conservative yield and price figures so your plan isn't built on best-case numbers.
Can I use this outside India?+
Yes. The maths — investment, subsidy, annual profit, payback and ROI — applies to protected cultivation anywhere. Just choose your currency, enter your local construction cost, any grant or subsidy you qualify for, and realistic yields and prices for your market. The India-specific scheme names are only examples.
What risks should I plan for?+
Protected cultivation concentrates value, so a pest outbreak, disease, power failure or a price crash can hurt badly. Budget for crop-failure risk, keep some buffer, insure where possible, and don't assume every cycle hits the top yield and price. Stress-test the payback with lower yields and prices to see how robust your plan really is.
Is this an exact financial projection?+
No — it's a planning estimate. Real returns depend on your crop, agronomy, market, financing and how many cycles you fit per year. Use it to compare structures and crops and to see roughly how fast the net cost comes back, then build a detailed cash-flow with quotes and confirmed subsidy terms before you invest.