Help Needed for choosing land for Farming

Farm Questions
1

Hi Gurus,
Need your help in choosing the land for farming. I have been reading all the posts with much enthusiasm. I would give a brief background of myself, As most of the people here even i’m into IT and want to slowly move into Agriculture.
I too had doubts whether it is possible to maintain your life with the income from Agriculture. But looking at the posts of
successful Farmers it gives a more confidence on your decision.
I have started looking for land near kanakapura .
As the budget is fixed 1. i can either buy a small piece of land nearer to bangalore or
2,buy a little bigger land but far away from bangalore with the same amount of money .

Most of the people who i have discussed are telling me to buy a land which is nearer to bangalore as it would save time and also after a course of time it would be difficult to motivate yourself leaving your family and going to the land if it is very far.
But most of the posts which i have read here suggest buying a bigger land would be better.
I have also read somewhere in the posts regarding a farmer who is earning more than 21 lac PA from his 2.1 acres of land. But that I think is not possible for me as I feel there should be someone who takes care of the land.
My question to all the successful farmers out there, what would be the ideal farm size ?.
Based on that I would be searching for land .

Thanks in Advance,
Ravi

2

Hi,

I think it depends on what you wish to do with the land - there is no perfect answer. It is always a balance between distance and cost.

If you wish to develop a farm which over time is profitable, you will need a minimum size so that the fixed costs such as for infrastructure, salaries etc. are spread over a larger size and so you can produce some marketable volumes. To determine what is a profitable size, you will have to work out what crops you are going to grow, what income you might expect per acre and decide what is a workable size. From another view point if your interest cost on the procurement money is higher than your ongoing expected revenue, really you are not having any real income.

If however you are more into hobby farming, the closer the better - so you can go there quickly, have quicker real estate appreciation and have a better chance of managing it. The same applies if you are going for some high investment high technology option such as hydroponics too.

3

Hi Ravi,
Let me try to explain quickly what I have done to fulfill my dream of buying agri land .

Me too working in IT . I have searched a cheaper land in Maharashtra nearby by native which is small Tier 3 city for quiet long.
Land is located almost 25kms from this small city but pretty remote, no proper road of 1km till farm, no EB and no bore or well, wild life threats, but a river flowing next to it. This land is uneven out of 18 acres only 6 acres was flat. Land was almost abandoned by owner so I got it cheaper .

My father is retired and loves farming, who is taking care of land as of now . I have chalked out a plan for next 3 years and executing it in phases . Since land was having many issues as I mentioned above I got it cheaper, but I had solutions for all above issues in my mind .

I want to make this land productive in next 3 years by that time I will concentrate on my job and finance the land development .
Later stage I will slowly shift my focus towards this land personally .

Luckily I got a big parcel of land so I just went for it even though it strained my finances, as later it becomes difficult to expand.
Regarding earning, it needs lot of efforts and integrated farming . As on today I am keeping a target of 40- 50k/acre for next 1 year and gradually increase it depending on land development. I am also planning to concentrate on horticulture to reduce day to day dependency .

Regarding land size many times it depends on seller what size of land you get and then you choose the option . I will suggest if your budget permits try to go land somewhere between 5 to 10 acres .

Hope it helps .
Regards,

4

Ravi,

Small or Bigger peice of land: As you go on learning agriculture you will get fascinating ideas/ concepts. You may come across different species of plants,fruits etc. If you have small peice of land the ideas stays as ideas you cannot meterialize your ideas. The rare plants/fruits stays in original place you cannot enjoy because your land is too small to accomadate.
In my opinion 3-4 acres are good for you.

If you opt for bigger land it must be fertile, moderate water. If you buy a land with stony soil cultivating is little difficult.

Nearer or Interior: Both has advantages and disadvantages
The land nererer to city will always have real estate importance so you will end up in paying a premium price.
The land nearer has Labour scarcity because labours travel to city for easy job rather than working at village. If the land is interior villagers dont adventure to travel to city they prefer to stay at village

Can a IT guy become a farmer?
An IT guy can becore better farmer, becuase you can make plan,forecast,make a manpoer management. You can aquire knowledge thru internet. You can market and sell thru internet etc etc. You can understand what is rhizobium or michoreza easily and you can apply it better but it takes farmer a long time to understand if doent have proper education.

Selection of land based on soil:
If the soil is red or black with not much stone then it is very good. If the soil is white it takes more than 5 years to make it fertile or some times you will never make it.

Select a land nearer to any water bodies like lakes. ponds or irrigation channels( it also must not be too nerer otherwise soil will have moisture all was)

Select a land which has 9’ wide road. i.e. you must not approach your land paasing somebody else’s land. The road must be recorded in grampnchayat.

But you must do a homework before striking any deal. Visit different farms study soil, crops what you want to plan. etc then you start. You will come across different opinion you pick what is suitable to you.

Every suggestion must be validated in your perspective.

For Eg. in my case I was told by many people that areca nut is profitable and it needs minimal maintanace. I found it true also. BUT I am strong depromoter of GHUTKA. If I cultivate arecanut and I say people to stay away from ghutka, which is double standard.

I also have suggested many people that arecanut is profitable but it is for individual to choose what they want to grow.

By the way there is an IT guy who has farm near bangalore visit vanashree.in/ you will get more practical answers.

5

Hi All,
Thanks a lot for your suggestions. I always had this doubt should i be looking for a bigger chunk of land but which is atleast 130 kms or go for a smaller chunk of land but which is very near to bangalore…one good point which was suggested is the nearer you are to the city the sourcing of labor would be difficult. Will post once i buy a land.
Thanks all for your support and suggestions.

Thanks,
Ravi

6

Hello Sri,
I was just going through a thread by Ravi and I am in the very same situation as Ravi was. To go for a bigger land which is cheaper but far from big center or small and near the city.
U said ‘if the land is red or black soil with not much stone then it is very good’. My question is if the land is with stones all over, in huge quantity, can it be removed? Or there is nothing that can be done and one should avoid such land?
Thanks
Prashant

7

I have given my opinion on this in another thread see below link
farmnest.com/forum/natural-farmi … /#msg13489

If you have bought already think of reducing the stones suggested in above link, I am not telling farming is not possible in such lands, when we have the choice to select a land with good soil, why to waste the opportunity.

if you have not purchased dont buy even it is cheap.

8

No, have not bought the land. I am from Mumbai and will be going to MP to find some suitable land. Your suggestion will surely keep in mind.
Thanks
Prashant

9

Dear Sir

I am KAlpesh Pandyya From Mumbai and I too intend to buy some Cheap and Small Land in Maharastra Kindly advise if there is any small 2/3 Acres Cheap Land near by yours

Thanks And Regards

Kalpesh P Pandyya

pandyak70@gmail.com ( 9820203096 )

Also kindly advise if the below is Reasonable Offer

yes we have 3 acres land with 70 mango tree, and 150 cashew tree is cost rs 18 laKH NEGOTIABLE
7588903377 Devgad