Revised NHB Guidelines: Protected Cultivation Made Affordable
- simd03005
- Sep 6
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 9
What if you could set up a polyhouse, hydroponic farm, or climate-smart greenhouse on your land—while the government pays nearly half the cost? Sounds unbelievable, right?
That’s exactly what the National Horticulture Board (NHB) is offering in its 2025 subsidy guidelines, designed to make protected cultivation accessible for farmers, FPOs, startups, and agri-entrepreneurs.
Want to explore NHB subsidies for your farm or startup? Fill out our contact form today, Agri Joy will guide you at every step.
What is NHB subsidy?
The National Horticulture Board (NHB) administers subsidies under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. This outline provides a broad overview of NHB subsidies for various horticulture components, including nurseries, protected cultivation (e.g., polyhouses, greenhouses), cold chains, planting material, post-harvest management, and more, based on 2025 guidelines. The subsidies aim to promote high-value horticulture, enhance farmer incomes, ensure quality produce, and build climate-resilient infrastructure.
Why Focus on Protected Cultivation?
Indian agriculture faces challenges like:
Unpredictable weather disrupting crop cycles.
20–30% post-harvest losses due to lack of storage and handling.
Degrading soil quality due to excessive fertiliser use
Protected cultivation-polyhouses, hydroponics, net houses, and greenhouses solves these challenges by:
Enabling 2–5x higher yields compared to open farming.
Allowing year-round production of high-value crops like capsicum, cucumber, tomato, and lettuce.
Saving up to 80% water through drip and fertigation.
Shielding crops from extreme weather and pests.
No wonder NHB is doubling down on subsidy support for protected farming in 2025.
What’s New in NHB Subsidy 2025?
India’s horticulture sector is booming, but challenges like unpredictable weather, high setup costs, and post-harvest losses (20–30% wastage) hold many back. The Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), under which NHB runs these subsidies, is the government’s way of solving this.
Focus Area | What's Changed? |
Area Requirement | Minimum area for NHB subsidy is 4000sqm and above |
Energy Efficiency | Higher subsidy support(up to 50%) for CEA, hydroponic smart greenhouses |
Cluster Development | Linking Farmers under clusters to export markets |
Climate Resilience | Structures designed to tackle erratic rain and rising temperature |
Let’s understand this better with an example of Priya, a grower in Haryana, who set up a 4,000 sqm polyhouse to grow bell peppers. Total project cost was ₹75 lakh. Under NHB’s 2025 norms (protected cultivation assistance at ~50% subject to admissible cost norms), her project qualified for a subsidy of ₹35 lakh. Priya used a registered 12+year active lease on the plot and secured a bank sanction (credit-linked subsidy is standard for projects of this size). After verification of DPR, technical standards and inspection, the subsidy was released to the loan account — leaving Priya with an effective upfront borrower share/loan amount of ₹60 lakh (bank loan). The project now supplies premium markets as part of a local horticulture cluster.
This shows how the new subsidy rules make modern farming accessible to smaller farmers, encourage eco-friendly tech, and open doors to export markets.
What Does NHB Subsidy Cover for Protected Cultivation?
Polyhouses & Greenhouses – grow crops year-round with climate control.
Hydroponic Farms – soil-less farming with higher yields.
Net Houses & Shade Nets – protect crops from heat and pests.
Hi-tech Nurseries – produce lakhs of healthy, disease-free saplings.
Key criteria
Subsidy rate: 50% of project’s admissible cost
Regional Variations: Higher subsidies (10-50% extra) for NE, Himalayan, scheduled areas, and islands..
Subsidy Limit: Rs. 1Cr. per project.
Credit Linkage: The subsidy is credit-linked ,requiring a term loan from a financial institution or Bank.
Eligible Components & Crops
NHB’s protected cultivation subsidy covers:
Protected structures: Greenhouses, shade net houses, plastic tunnels, anti-bird and anti-hail nets.
Irrigation & mechanization: Drip irrigation, misting/fogging units, fertigation, and farm mechanization tools.
Planting material: High-value vegetables (capsicum, cucumber, tomato), flowers (anthurium, orchids, gerbera, rose), and other crops as per NHB’s approved list.
Who Can Apply?
Individual farmers
Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) & cooperatives
Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
Startups & agri-entrepreneurs
Public institutions
Proprietors
Key Considerations for Applicants
Technical standards: Projects must follow NHB’s prescribed technical standards and cost norms (based on ICAR/NCCD/BIS guidelines where applicable).
Pre-approval required: Work must begin only after NHB approval; projects started earlier are not eligible.
Integrated projects: Subsidy can also support add-on components (e.g., irrigation, nursery units) as part of a larger, credit-linked commercial horticulture or cluster-based project.
Land: Owned or leased (minimum 12 years lease).
Accreditation: Nurseries and tissue culture units must be NHB/ICAR-accredited within 12-18 months.
Mandatory infrastructure includes
Proper fencing
Scion/mother block and rootstock block
Irrigation system (drip, borewell, pump, storage tank)
Net house/shade net for hardening
Hi-tech greenhouse (for hi-tech nurseries) with insect-proof netting, fogging, and misting
Soil solarization/sterilization system
Vermicompost/ Cocopeat unit, store room, and electrification
How to Apply (5 Simple Steps)
Check Eligibility – visit nhb.gov.in.
Prepare a Project Plan (DPR) – include land details, technology, cost breakup, and bank loan sanction.
Apply Online – upload documents on the NHB portal.
Submit Hard Copies – send to NHB’s regional office.
Execution & Verification – after setup and inspection, subsidy is released.
Pro tip: Interest on loans is capped at 9% p.a., plus 3% subvention on loans up to ₹2 crore for 7 years-making financing even easier(under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund).
How Agri Joy Helps You
Government subsidies can feel overwhelming but with the right assistance, the process becomes smooth.
At Agri Joy, we provide:
Turnkey construction of polyhouses, greenhouses, hydroponics, and net houses.
Expert support in DPR creation, documentation, and NHB applications.
Guidance on bank loan tie-ups and subsidy claims.
Experience of 40+ farms built across 14+ states.
We don’t just build farms—we help you access subsidies and ensure your project succeeds.
Protected cultivation is the future of Indian farming. And with NHB covering up to half your costs, there has never been a better time to invest in polyhouses, hydroponics, or greenhouses.
Ready to embark on your hydroponic journey? Start today with Agri Joy—your partner in sustainable, Joyful farming!
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