[Dieseltuned]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

I stay far far away from all the places you mention and hence wouldn't be able to help you with your quest. But I really admire this return to the roots desire that is increasingly being seen among the townsfolk - which is indeed a good thing.

However, shouldn't you be looking for a decent piece of land with a small farmhouse attached rather than a small farmhouse with a decent piece of land attached?

Shelters can be erected at will but getting a piece of fertile/cultivable land that suits your purpose is a difficult, long drawn process and hence should be your first point of search.

(Sorry for butting in without actually giving you a solution)

Hello sir,

You are absolutely right I am fine both the ways, just that I have not been able to get any reliable source and hence thought of exploring via our esteemed forum.

Regards
Diesel

[condor]

Originally Posted by Dieseltuned

Purpose of the farmhouse is to start a small agri business, so it should come with a decent land along with it.

Originally Posted by dailydriver

. But I really admire this return to the roots desire that is increasingly being seen among the townsfolk - which is indeed a good thing.

In this situation, the land would be my first priority. I can build a farm house, but cant change nature of soil - or water supply that easily.

One important thing I would suggest is to understand local practices in terms of labor costs. In the eagerness to get good quality labor, people who are new pay higher labor rate and this upsets the situation for everyone. Not that labor will work significantly better just because they get more pay.

[Dieseltuned]

Originally Posted by condor

In this situation, the land would be my first priority. I can build a farm house, but cant change nature of soil - or water supply that easily.

One important thing I would suggest is to understand local practices in terms of labor costs. In the eagerness to get good quality labor, people who are new pay higher labor rate and this upsets the situation for everyone. Not that labor will work significantly better just because they get more pay.

Hello sir,

yes i agree, getting a decent piece of land is a challange along with all the proper documentation.

Does anybody know if it is possible to buy agricultural land without being a farmer in Gujarat or Maharashtra ?

Regards
Diesel

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by Dieseltuned

Does anybody know if it is possible to buy agricultural land without being a farmer in Gujarat or Maharashtra ?

For MH, you will need a Farmer Certificate. Otherwise you can't buy it here. You don't have to be a farmer but you need the certificate for being able to buy agricultural land.

[condor]

Originally Posted by Dieseltuned

Does anybody know if it is possible to buy agricultural land without being a farmer in Gujarat or Maharashtra ?

Farmer friends from GJ can confirm, but looks like same case as in MH.
I had posted about a friend's farm being on sale about 60km from Amdavad. My answer is based on that.

*

Btw, do you have a business plan for that ? How about a training plan for self to get going ? Will it be your sole source of income ? Do check @graaja's posts in the thread too.

And importantly - weekend farming Will Not Work.

[Dieseltuned]

Originally Posted by condor

Farmer friends from GJ can confirm, but looks like same case as in MH.
I had posted about a friend's farm being on sale about 60km from Amdavad. My answer is based on that.

*

Btw, do you have a business plan for that ? How about a training plan for self to get going ? Will it be your sole source of income ? Do check @graaja's posts in the thread too.

And importantly - weekend farming Will Not Work.

Hello sir,

Apologies, i missed this message. Yes, i understand that having a farm will require full time and dedication and I am prepared to walk the extra mile for it. My plan is to start into areas like Horticulture and Mushrooms along with long term investment like a mango and coconuts which start yielding after 2-4 years depending on the variety.

At the moment I have other source of income and I am looking to set up a farm as a business venture to turn profitable in the next 2-3 years.

Please do suggest if you have any reliable source who can be contacted for land.

Regards
Diesel

Originally Posted by sunilch

For MH, you will need a Farmer Certificate. Otherwise you can't buy it here. You don't have to be a farmer but you need the certificate for being able to buy agricultural land.

Hello sir,

Is there a proper channel whom i can approach to get this farmer certificate ?

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by Dieseltuned

Hello sir,

Is there a proper channel whom i can approach to get this farmer certificate ?

I am not aware of the channel as such but you will need to prove that your ancestors were farmers in MH and hence contact the local municipal body where they may have had land. Then you need to prove that you are the rightful descendent or so.

But this is just my best guess based on what I have read over internet. Alternatively, if you hold farming land in some other state where there is no such requirement, then you need to bring a certificate from there and then use that to get one in MH.

There are agents in all local districts who may help for a fee. No references from my end though.

[tazmaan]

Originally Posted by Dieseltuned

Hello sir,

yes i agree, getting a decent piece of land is a challange along with all the proper documentation.

Does anybody know if it is possible to buy agricultural land without being a farmer in Gujarat or Maharashtra ?

Regards
Diesel

To answer your question No it's not possible both in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

However there are two routes you can follow.

1. Farmer certificates can be bought/made legally. There are several agents doing this and it's perfectly legal. The process is to buy Land in Rajasthan (that's how I did it) or Tamilnadu where anyone one can by farm land. Once that's done the ownership proof and a letter from the Thesil office is issued saying you are a farmer in that state. This letter/certificate is valid for buying Farm land legally in Maharashtra. The cost involved ranges from INR 50k to 75K for the certificate and takes around 45 days.

2. In Gujarat, the above is not possible. I have bought farm land in my relatives/friends name and converted it to NA before transferring it to my companies name. The same can be done in Maharashtra. This is also completely legal.

I became farmer in Maharashtra 8 months back and just bought a land parcel in Khapoli near the back side of Lonavala. The land registration is complete and land has been transferred in my name. My wife and the kids automatically become farmers.

It took over 50 visits in the past year to purchase the land. I just hit ample of water at the plot in peak summer which is the most important resource for a farm. A couple of pics attached. I intend to plant Mango and vegetables starting this monsoon for which I have hired a consultant.

I wish you luck for your farming activities, it requires a lot of work and time. DM me if you need help getting a contact for farmer certificate.

[Dieseltuned]

Originally Posted by tazmaan

I wish you luck for your farming activities, it requires a lot of work and time. DM me if you need help getting a contact for farmer certificate.

Hello sir,

Thank you for your kind reply and encouragement, I have sent you a DM for the same.

Regards
Diesel

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by OffRoadFun

1. Farming requires no special skill, even semi-literates can be good farmers. Same can't be said for IT.

What!!!!!????

What is the basis of this conclusion? Are you equating literacy with skill? In my family, until my parents generation, everyone were trained in agriculture, as part of growing up in farming families. My generation was the first one to lose out. Still, I had enough exposure to know it requires loads of knowledge.

[condor]

Originally Posted by OffRoadFun

1. Farming requires no special skill, even semi-literates can be good farmers. Same can't be said for IT..

Calling this as JOTD will be very mild. And anyone who has actually tried farming will Never say this. I will not elaborate further on these two points, simply because it cant be explained in words. Experience is the only way to find out.

[OffRoadFun]

Originally Posted by condor

Calling this as JOTD will be very mild. And anyone who has actually tried farming will Never say this. I will not elaborate further on these two points, simply because it cant be explained in words. Experience is the only way to find out.

The comparison here is with IT skills which can make good money and that's what matters and this is where agriculture fails totally, though I am not justifying that. That is where 2/3rd of India's labor still is and barely out of poverty. There is a reason people are moving out of agriculture. In that context of skills, yes, I would still say agriculture is at bottom of skills requirement. Skills should not be equated with hard/grunt work which is must for a good farmer.

JFYI, I own and manage my farm which I set up from scratch with ZERO inheritance ("experience"). Agriculture still is a LOW skill job and rural migration to high earning "services" jobs to urban centers is a testament to that, in any country. And in industrial age, it will continue to do so for any foreseeable time.

Calling JOTD is tempting and easy, in name of experience without fact checking "experience" others might have, sort of self-righteous. Backing with facts? Isn't that easy.

[condor]

Originally Posted by OffRoadFun

The comparison here is with IT skills which can make good money and that's what matters and this is where agriculture fails totally, though I am not justifying that. ... Skills should not be equated with hard/grunt work which is must for a good farmer.
.

Just like IT has become body-shopping, with not many actually moving along with newer technology, agriculture has also got stagnated in the past few decades. They tried "harder" with more fertilizers and pesticides. But like IT folks who developed their skills there are enough farmers who have transformed their methods of farming.

Speaking of bottom of the pyramid thing, it is a reflection of people's fascination of "good tasting" junk food and other similar things - like going after what is marketed than sticking to the basics of what actually is good for the self to maintain good health in every way. This trend is like a boom, which will go bust. Even during covid, quite a few IT professionals made the transition out of IT into stuff like dairy farming.

You have said you manage your farm. From what little you have said, it looks like you are only "managing" but not actually growing it yourself ... depending on workers with agricultural experience.

[OffRoadFun]

Originally Posted by condor

Just like IT has become body-shopping, with not many actually moving along with newer technology, agriculture has also got stagnated in the past few decades. They tried "harder" with more fertilizers and pesticides. But like IT folks who developed their skills there are enough farmers who have transformed their methods of farming.

Argument closed!
I suggest some reading on wealth generation in advanced economies, how technology aids wealth generation in modern age and also how much GDP contribution is from agriculture in technological advanced nations. There is a reason US has high skill Visas and they are not in agri sector. Equating IT stagnation with Agriculture stagnation is an indicator enough for me to see pointlessness of this discussion.
Thanks

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by OffRoadFun

Argument closed!
I suggest some reading on wealth generation in advanced economies, how technology aids wealth generation in modern age and also how much GDP contribution is from agriculture in technological advanced nations. There is a reason US has high skill Visas and they are not in agri sector. Equating IT stagnation with Agriculture stagnation is an indicator enough for me to see pointlessness of this discussion.
Thanks

Just FYI, the US imports a lot of agricultural labor as well. Just that it is not viable to fly in people from India for it for short term. So they make do with labor from Mexico and other Latin American countries.

https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the...ltural-workers