The golden harvest

For those of us who have been witnessing an increase in our food bills and grocery, a question that comes to mind is, Will food prices come down The answer unfortunately is ‘NO’.

According to studies, food production will have to increase by 70% to feed the globe’s larger, more urbanised, and more affluent population, by 2050.

India, once a great agricultural country, is best with problems in the farming sector. Ironically, even as demand for good quality food is increasing, the world is running out of farmers. The average age of farmers in America is 58. In Japan, the average age is 66. In Australia, it’s 58.

The governments will be forced to act and this is bound to open up opportunities in farming in future.

Said legendary investor Jim Rogers: “It has been a disaster for the last 20 years, but farmers are going to be driving the Lamborghini in the next 20 years.” He went on to point out that “anything to do with agriculture — seeds, tractors, fertilizer, water, farmlands, warehouses, cold chains — is going to be extremely profitable over the next 20 years.”

The best thing one could do is to own a piece of farmland. That is where the money is going to be made. In fact, it is the only serious asset which is available at throw-away prices. One could even buy a few cents of farmlands for the price of a smart tablet phone.

Senior citizens and elderly people can not only take the lead but also mentor the future generation to make use of this fabulous opportunity.

(The writer is an Executive Director with Moat Financial Services Pvt Ltd and can be reached at biju@moatindia.com)