Open Discussion - What do you feel about investing in Agriculture ?

[rohit_warren]

Hi All,

I have been reading a lot of posts regarding requirement of agriculture land, I am excited by these many people going back to farming.
Here is something what I have felt about these new generation of "would be Farmers"

1. They are well educated, employed and living in cities.

2. They are excited by the prospects of farming and then the real estate appreciation.

3. Most of the new generation would be farmers think Agriculture as most easy activity and most rewarding one.

4. Most of the new generation would be farmers think that it is easy to buy a piece of land then plant some high value trees there and reap a nice reward.

5. Most of them have a budget of less than 5 lakhs (sometimes less than 1 lakh to invest)

6. Most of them have never lived in any village or seen any farming activity by themselves.

Well the list is endless, post you replies of what you think.

 

[rohit_warren]

No replies ?
No one ready to share their views ?

 

[aprao]

Hi All,

I have been reading a lot of posts regarding requirement of agriculture land, I am excited by these many people going back to farming.
Here is something what I have felt about these new generation of "would be Farmers"

1. They are well educated, employed and living in cities.

Yes

2. They are excited by the prospects of farming and then the real estate appreciation.

No for traditional farming; possibly yes for some new ways coupled with post processing/marketing.

3. Most of the new generation would be farmers think Agriculture as most easy activity and most rewarding one.

No

4. Most of the new generation would be farmers think that it is easy to buy a piece of land then plant some high value trees there and reap a nice reward.

No -- unless one doesn't know anything about farming.

5. Most of them have a budget of less than 5 lakhs (sometimes less than 1 lakh to invest)

No -- you can do very little with 5 lakhs

6. Most of them have never lived in any village or seen any farming activity by themselves.

possible, but one shouldn't get into farming without having any idea of farming.

Well the list is endless, post you replies of what you think.

 

[hk2165]

Very true, I almost agree on all your points

 

[padiki]

Hi Rohit, Well interesting topic there. I might classify myself as one of them! Worse actually ... dont even have that 1 lakh you mentioned.

But there is a tone of sarcasm in your word! Correct? What say.

Also, are you an agriculturist?

 

[jebakanisurendra]

Hello Folk

Well,

Here are my comments....

We educated ppls believe that there would be a never ending war in near future for water and food in India/South Asia....

Let me tell you onething, being a software engineer in a MNC, I may make good money...but I will never think of getting settled any IT hubs like chennai or bangalore.. I will quit these crap IT job after making good money, and then will get settled in my village where I brought up....

Having said, price of vegetables/water/rice going up like anything as population getting increased day by day..But production of food items getting decereased as agriculture lands are being used for building appartments and other bussinesses.

There should be so many other reasons, but we all gonna see in 5 years span of time that, our ppls will battle for FOOD and Water...

As you could see, there are two different type of ppls in our country...One is being lived in Cities, making good money by working in corporate companies, sending their kids to International schools...buying all the things from big malls who never thinks of where are things are coming from.

Other one is being lived in Villages having some land who struggles to make money wwith their agri lands because of so many known reasons...

Still there are many...will be right back....

 

[anil1956]

almost all points are correct. Now a days agri projects are always a serious business. It requires a good lot of investment. Many want to invest a few thousands or a few lacs and want to earn soft ware salary.Then want to work on 5 acres or less, want it near to state capital, want to visit farm once in a week or even fortnightly. These things are not working logics. Further many want to work with ideas from farmers and do not want to invest on experienced consultants. These days there is no difference in starting an industry and starting a farm.


For the serious lot with good investment capability returns are high say 24 % pa. Those who want it relaxing should only plant fruit trees and should not expect commercial returns but enjoy week ends sleeping under the trees in their farm.


anil1956@hotmail.com

Hi All,

I have been reading a lot of posts regarding requirement of agriculture land, I am excited by these many people going back to farming.
Here is something what I have felt about these new generation of "would be Farmers"

1. They are well educated, employed and living in cities.

2. They are excited by the prospects of farming and then the real estate appreciation.

3. Most of the new generation would be farmers think Agriculture as most easy activity and most rewarding one.

4. Most of the new generation would be farmers think that it is easy to buy a piece of land then plant some high value trees there and reap a nice reward.

5. Most of them have a budget of less than 5 lakhs (sometimes less than 1 lakh to invest)

6. Most of them have never lived in any village or seen any farming activity by themselves.

Well the list is endless, post you replies of what you think.

 

[rohit_warren]

Hi All,

Thank you for your views, I am looking forward to hear more from you.

Rohit

 

[padiki]

Is there anything else in the world that one can do without full commitment and expect to get success ... even partial success. How is farming any different?

Except that growing is second nature to humans ... we are agriculturist by evolution.

 

[rohit_warren]

Thanks for your reply.
would request more views from young gen who have taken agriculture as profession - this would be benefit the whole community.

Thanks
Rohit

 

[rohit_warren]

Hi All,

its been a month since this discussion was started - Not seen much replies in this - does this mean that we are really not serious about the investment in agriculture ?

Thanks
Rohit

 

[czar]

Land is only one of the investments people make

The way I see it is that 'investment' can be of many kinds. It could be monetary, or effort, or time, etc.

I don't think it is absolutely essential to toil on your land personally in order to get returns. It may be true that with a very personal involvement the returns on your investment may be higher, but with partial involvement it could be possible to strike a balance and be satisfied with a proportional return and consider it as subsidiary income while continuing to invest your other energy and resources in your job or whatever main business you are really qualified for. Agricultural activity should not, perhaps, be looked at as the sole source of income by people with non-farming and/or poorly equipped and poorly informed people which is what city folks are most likely to be.

This may or may not make sense (after all this is only my view, and I could be wrong), but then what determines successful farming? From an investor's perspective, substantial or marginal, profit is profit all the same.

The main thing is that expectations should be reasonable and proportionate. Again, this thought should be seen in the context and from the perspective of an investor, not a serious agriculturalist. There is a big difference I would think.

 

[salillal]

Agree with most of the points in the first post. There is a growing tribe of city dwellers who are caught on the romanticism of agriculture and tries to be a farmer over night. Then there are folks who are looking for smart ways to invest. There is a sizable number of educated middle class who realize the futility of their fast paced life and want to do something more connected to themselves and nature. This has been the trend across the industrialized world.

Being one of the above category some of the questions that I am grappling with is

How difficult is it to transform oneself from a city life to rural life
Is it possible to make a sustainable living from agriculture? I am not talking about city level comforts. But say would an investment about 20-25 lakhs, make about 30- 40 K per month if one is actively involved.

 

[czar]

Electricity and water

...How difficult is it to transform oneself from a city life to rural life .....

Atleast in some aspects I have had a preview/preparation for rural life. Living in Thane, and experiencing unscheduled power cuts and water cuts has given me some 'survival confidence'. heh! heh!

 

[rohit_warren]

If you have enough money then your farm too can be transformed as most posh of the metro

 

[vravula36]

agriculture is future

Dear friends,
I did medicine but was never interested to practice it. I took up my family occupation, that is agriculture. I'm back in my village, staying with my parents and looking after agriculture. I was interested in farming since my childhood. I used to think that agriculture is really very leisure job to do. But after working into it since few years now, ii think, its really challenging task and the pleasure i get from this is beyond any explanation. I'm loving it. The pleasure of producing food grains is fantastic. The process of cultivating and wait till the time of harvest.....its stupendous. Anyhow, i wish all the people who wish to get back to agriculture a very good luck. One important thing to have to go for agriculture is WATER. Get the source of water and enjoy the process of farming.


Best regards,
Venkat.

 

[nitin99099]

Hi rohit,
your views are correct according to the near future,In next few years there will be battle for food ,because of increasing population and decreasing agriculture,
In future many corporates companies will jump in agribussiness,
In future investment in agriculture would be toplisted.
My father is in textile industry but i have choosen this bussiness for my better future,
Do you agree with me.

 

[annar]

=nitin99099;105257]Hi rohit,
your views are correct according to the near future,In next few years there will be battle for food ,because of increasing population and decreasing agriculture,
In future many corporates companies will jump in agribussiness,
In future investment in agriculture would be toplisted.
My father is in textile industry but i have choosen this bussiness for my better future,
Do you agre

 

[annar]

Hi Rohit,

The major investment would be time and your passion to make it work. Agriculture is a 25/7 operation and not 24/7. One thing I can say from my experience is that my parents were city folk sickly and made a number of visits to the hospital, but in 1979 they moved to the village and took up serious farming believe it or not the visits to the doctor almost vanished and my father passed away in 1995 a healthy man. I guess the quality of life improved for him with less stess of the city and that was more important than any investment that could have been made.

 

[kalaj4]

Hi,
To purchase a farm land and do some plantation is a great service to mother earth in gratitude for getting innumerable things for the survival of every life. This way one can retain our green cover that otherwise can get destroyed by construction or industrial activity.
Regards,
Kala