Dear Chandra,
This is a reply to the post of Mr.Chandra on opportunities in farming. It is not a detailed article but a quick write up. Maybe I will write an article in detail later.
Most of the people who come into the farming business lose heart because there is no proper guidance available and have to do most of the things on a trial and error basis and by the time they find the right way to do it, they are either broke or fed up with the whole setup… (all these are my experience, it can be different to many others). The main reason being very few who do it professionally to guide the other or some have no idea and maybe the rest don’t want to share the info for free. The next reason I found is that marketing your produce. With all the running around you do to gather information, the time spend, the money spend on producing that specific product, you finally end up with less than the production cost for the product. The main reason being no proper marketing system in place that supports the farmer. The person who makes the money is the middlemen.
Another reason is the long wait to get rewarded. (you have to wait for the crop to yield and give you returns, which normally takes 5 to six months after planting or sowing depending on the corp).
Now if guidance is there and you get value for your product (proper marketing) and immediate gratification (quick returns) the whole process of farming is interesting and profitable.
All this happens by proper planning. You need to budget your capital into different sections.
In the last three years I did a lot of experiments and mistakes and now has devised a module that has started to bring in results. For immediate returns I have Quail and duck layers on my farm. Quail start laying at 45 days after hatching and they lay 300+ eggs at one go. The space requirement is less ( in 300 sq ft you can grow 2500 quail on a multilayer stand system), feed conversion ration is profitable (can be discussed in detail on how to cut the cost of feed, because in livestock rearing 70% of the investment made is on feed and any savings on that front is additional benefit). Ducks also will give quick returns because layer ducks are available and so no waiting for five and a half months for the duck to start laying. Easy to manage because of their feeding pattern.(here too feeding cost can be cut to 50% of the normal type by methods that I have devised over this period of time). In the normal case where you sell a duck egg for 2.75/- in the wholesale market, your cost of production would be 2 to 2.25/-. but the cost can be brought down to 1.25 to 1.5/-(the profit is .75 ps to 1 rupee more than the normal practice) per egg plus the sale price increased from 2.75 to 3.5/-(proper marketing gives you another 75 ps extra here too). Same is the case of quail eggs, you can make a profit of .75 to 1/- per egg. Secondly I have planted bush jasmine 1000 nos which will come to bearing in August this year. This crop has a life of 15 years and the rates per kilo are very promising (as per the rates of last few years data collected). Another veg corp that has started yielding is Ivy gourd. This plant starts yielding within 45 to 60 days of planting ans has a life of 3+ years. It is a creeper plant and gives two harvest per week. I can give details on costing , operating exp etc in detail later. I am writing this just to give the people out there some confidence as to profit is 100% possible in farming and i am making profits. I entered farming to make money and my first few years were disappointing but my determination is showing results now. I am more than happy to guide anyone who needs support or share my experience. Will need more time and bigger writeup to elaborate on each topic. … Need more info pls get in touch. Kevin (kevinblr@hotmail.com or 9845520116).
Thank you Kevin. Your topic is completely in line with the forum objective to assist farmer collaboration and sharing of information - much appreciated. I look forward to your updates on all the finer details - when you get the time of course - I know farmers don’t have too much time to spare.
Nice summary above. We started our operations a few months ago as well and would be very interested in connecting with you in the near future if you’d would be willing to share your experiences.
Kevin has hit the nail on the head when he says that there is not enough information on practical guidance on farming - how to avoid pitfalls, operational economics, and all the details of the process from the soil preparation, seeds sourcing, pests management to marketing… Probably, the main reason for this has been due to the fact that most people in India doing farming have not had much formal education. Also maybe due to the lack of internet culture into the rural areas?! Anyway, today there are large numbers of educated first generation aspiring farmers - my pop psycology attributes this to the realisation of the stress of corporate life! Whatever the reasons, India could do with a lot more educated and internet savvy farmers willing to share their experiences/knowledge very openly. While I can understand the reluctance of “consultants” for share their konwledge for free, the actual farmer should have no such problems - there is no fear of competition as each individual farmer is such a small part of the whole market that no one is in any way a threat to him!
As I have said in another post, I am doing this only as a hobby (post retirement from business/corporate life) with the objective of setting up demonstrable viable scale of operations in various upper end margin crops. I am also committed to organic/natural farming. I am trying out various vegetables in small patches in the initial learning stage. In the next stage I intend to select a few items for trial of each crop on half acre plots, before going for ventures on larger tracts. My idea is to avoid the lower end crops like rice or wheat in the belief that an educated entrepreneur should be able to handle the higher margin crops. I propose to try garlic, ginger, turmeric, banana (G-9 variety) and pulses like tur & moong dals (under the belief that these are higher margin items!). I am also trying out vegetables like cauliflower (reasonable success) and capsicum (a disaster so far!). Next year I would be in a position to record (and share with all others) the full details of input costs etc for atleast some items. In the meantime, if others have any concrete details of crop economics of any similar items, it would be very useful to other intending to enter such items.
Let’s hope the population of “copy-lefted” farmers (to borrow a term from the IT field – opposite of “copy righted”) grows exponentially!
Ananth
Hi Kevinche, I am very keen on taking up farming as my vocation. This site and postings by members like you have given me immense knowledge and confidence to take up and pursue my dream. I am using this forum to ask you for a few more details about your experience which I could really use. WOuld really appreciate if you could answer them. My queries are;
WHat is the life of a quail which you farm for laying? I mean for how many years it would lay eggs? and after that lifespan what do you do with the quail?
WHy do u recommend layers and not breeding for selling bird meat?
You suggest Duck layers with Quail layers, what is your opinion about hen layers or rearing chicken for meat sale (not broiler but the indian hardy variety developed by some institutes in India)
As he rightly points out, the information on how-tos in agriculture, poultry, cattle farming is less than minimum. I have been talking to people who have done B.Sc Agriculture and it is pathetic to find out that most of the information they know is mere theoretical and have never taken up actual farming and have no idea to do so as well.
People who are well versed in farming should teach the enthusiastic new ones to continue our tradition of farming. Not free, always but for a nominal fee that pays for everyone’s time.
I am thrilled to read the developments in Kevin’s poultry as its earning him handsome profits and he’s been away from the forum counting the money, haha.
Kevinche: Kindly come back and tell us more and teach us more in detail and inspire us in taking up farming for profit.
ananth1946: Excellent progress in high margin crop cultivation, and please let us know about how far you have gone and how much you have learnt about the new crop growing techniques.
Also, all of us should bring our inputs even if they think it is simple. Because it would possible be the one thing most people are going wrong about.
Keep sharing and bring prosperity to ourselves, our people and our country.
Waseem
That is an excellent writeup. It gives lot of confidence to start up enthusiast like me. I have been looking forward to get started with agriculture and have been doing research on various options. I like the business approach you have given in your post, a backup plan is must for any venture to be successful as it gives confidence to move ahead with full dedication without worrying too much about failure.
I have been trying to reach you on given details; but not had any contact.
If anyone can help me with Kevin’s current contact details I will be very grateful. My mail id is pawar.nithin@gmail.com
Kevin gave his details in the last line of the post. It didn’t work for you? … I guess not.
It’s sad that people give false wind and themselves vanish in thin air! Pity
." I guess not.
It’s sad that people give false wind and themselves vanish in thin air! Pity "
Just wanted to point out to @ Nithin that he is being unfair to Kevin who sounds to be a sharing his experience gave some good information and on the face of it does not seem to have any ulterior motive to gain anything from what he has recommended. So I guess your expectations are not realistic. That does not mean it’s incumbent on KeKevito keep giving info n advise on how to avoid every common pitfall free of cost.
Think of his post as a starting point and that Kevin has given you a rough cut map and do your own due diligence on what makes sense to you ( like in the stock market the common advise given is never buy any stock because u received a hot tip and do your own due diligence and then decide )
Need more info pls get in touch. Kevin (kevinblr@hotmail.com or 9845520116).
