How to Start a Farm in India: A Complete Guide

Setting up a farm either for your own use or to start a business out of it is not an easy task. There are a lot of things to consider involving business planning, finding land, securing financing, marketing, production knowledge, securing equipment, developing or infrastructure, and vision for the farm.

If you are planning to set up a farm in India then this article is for you. Here we have shared a step-by-step guide to set up a farm. 

Prerequisites for setting up a farm:

Basic knowledge of agriculture practices related to the crop of your choice; a piece of land; agriculture equipment and inputs.

Financial Considerations:

• Before you begin constructing your farm, make sure you thoroughly plan everything. Your plan must include the cost of the land, equipment, and field improvements that must be completed before you begin your farm enterprise. It will assist you in understanding the type of investment required to begin your farm.

• Farming investments are recurring; you must make investments each year to keep the activities running.

Farming does not pay on a weekly or monthly basis. So you must either work outside the farm at a day job or save enough money to cover your expenses until your farm begins to produce good earnings.

Land & Climate Considerations:

• How, where, and what you farm are determined by your land and the climate. As a result, you must be knowledgeable with basic agricultural procedures depending on the soil and climate of your farm's location.

• The topographical aspects of your land can influence the type of operations you should pursue. You can have your land's soil analyzed at the nearest soil testing laboratory. It will assist you in determining the soil type (silt, clay, or sand) and quality (nutrient condition). This, in turn, will aid in determining which crops would give the most yield on your land.

Selecting the crops for your Field:

Be very wise while choosing the crops that you want to grow. There are a few things to keep in mind while choosing the crops are:

• The products should have a consistent and dependable market.

• Consider the amount of effort required for a crop to provide a satisfactory yield. If you are a newbie, you should avoid growing labor-intensive crops like tomatoes or potatoes. Don't plant a crop that you won't be able to manage.

• Consider all of the logistical issues. Plan where you will obtain all of your inputs and the influence on overall cost; distance from the nearest market and the impact on operations or marketing, harvesting time and arrival time at the market.

Storage facilities on your farm:

Storage is an important marketing function that involves keeping and conserving commodities from the time they are manufactured until they are consumed. An excellent storage facility should offer optimal protection against ground moisture, rain, insects, vermin, moulds, rodents, and birds, among other things. The grains can be kept in bulk or in bags.

If your produce is perishable, you will need a cold storage on your farm.

Bonus tip! Communicate with other Farmers: It is the best way to get an insight into the farming-related stuff. There is a lot of stuff that you can learn from their experience. Your local farmers will help you out with distribution patterns, get resources, and can help you get in touch with trusted vendors to give a start to your business.

(Also Read: How To Start Your Own Poultry Farm?)