Starting farming/agriculture funds required

Everybody funds software companies and such startups, hope people start funding farmers. Save our farmers, help by funding them. I want to be an example. Just think, can you eat software ?? If farmers do not work hard in the fields, what would you do !!!!

Hi,

I am from Kerala, India working for a BPO. I have been planning to start a small business of my own. Agriculture is what comes first in my mind. My motto being, a country is self sufficient if is agricultural sector and farmers are doing good. Though it is a highly risky venture, but for me agriculture is the most satisfying.

My plan is start pomegranate farming, which is quite expensive and would take at least 4-5 years for harvesting, so the funds needed are high and reaping benefits would take a long time.

To reach there, I am planning to start ginger cultivation (harvest time 8 - 10 months), which will help me raise funds for my dream project. I plan to start in a very modest way, with a 1-acre land for ginger cultivation, for which my budget is 4 lacs INR ($6500). I have 1 lac in my hand and I need 3 lacs ($5000) more to fund my project of ginger cultivation. Here is the break-up.

Land rent - Rs. 40,000 - 60,000 per acre.

Land tilting and creating beds - Rs. 50,0000 - 60,000

Ginger seeds - 25 - 30 bags per acre (1 bag Rs. 3500) = Rs. 100,000.

Sprinklers and pipes = 25,000

Fertilizers + manure + mulching + labor (sowing) = 50,000

Employing skilled farmer to take care for a year, 15,000 x 10 = 150,000

Monthly twice deweeding and fertilizers = 10,000 x 10 = 100,000 (borne by myself).

From a 1-acre plot, we can expect a yield of 300 bags (60 kgs per

bag). Average price Rs. 25 - 30 per kg (may go up to 50-60 per kg if

fortune favors).

The benefit actually starts when we continue to

do ginger farming the subsequent year as we will have our own ginger

seeds for cultivation and wont need to buy from outside, i.e., Rs.

1,0000 saved.

RISKS: It is a highly risky farming as

ginger cultivation is very sensitive. If affected by disease (bacterial

wilt, root borer, etc.), the whole field is damaged within a matter of

days. Ginger cultivation is like a patient in ICU. Utmost care has to

be given. Lot of factors are included; weather, water, air borne

diseases, water borne diseases, etc.