Sir/Madam,
I am having 6 acres of red soil lands with bore water and TB canal water. The lands are 15 km away from Bellary city (583 103 )in Karnataka State and main road is 2 kms from our fields.
I want to plant coconut trees and grow custard apple

Question

Sir/Madam,
I am having 6 acres of red soil lands with bore water and TB canal water. The lands are 15 km away from Bellary city (583 103 )in Karnataka State and main road is 2 kms from our fields.
I want to plant coconut trees and grow custard apple trees 
Please guide me is there any other horticulture crops are
1) Low cost
2) Quick yield/returns
3) Less labour intensive
4) Low pests attack
5) Low water consumption
6) Less risk
Thank you 
Regards

Sathiyavarsha K · Answer

Thank you for sharing the details. Based on your location (Bellary district, Karnataka), soil type (red soil), and water availability (borewell + TB canal), I can suggest horticultural crops and strategies that suit your requirements. Let’s go step by step.

1. Your Current Plan

Coconut trees:

Suited for areas with a minimum of 600–800 mm annual rainfall or irrigation.

Red soil is acceptable, but requires good organic matter and proper irrigation.

Time to first yield: 5–6 years.

High initial cost and labor-intensive (especially for planting, staking, and maintenance).

Pests: coconut mites, rhinoceros beetle — manageable with good care.

Custard apple (Sitaphal / Annona squamosa):

Well-suited for red soil.

Low water requirement.

First yield: 2–3 years.

Low pest attacks.

Maintenance: Low.

So custard apple aligns well with your low-water, low-labor, low-risk requirement. Coconut is a long-term investment, high cost, more labor.

2. Other Horticultural Crop Options for 6 Acres in Red Soil
A. Fruit Crops
Crop	Yield/Return	Water Requirement	Labor	Pest Risk	Notes
Papaya	Quick: 9–12 months	Moderate	Low	Medium	High-value, can be intercropped in 1st year
Guava	2–3 years	Low to moderate	Low	Low	Red soil suits it; long-term returns
Pomegranate	2–3 years	Low	Low	Low	Drought-tolerant, high-value export potential
Mango (dwarf varieties)	3–4 years	Moderate	Medium	Medium	Choose local drought-tolerant varieties
Fig	2 years	Low	Low	Low	Red soil tolerant; very low water
Papaya / Pineapple intercrop	9–12 months	Low to moderate	Low	Medium	Good for 1–2 years until main trees yield
B. Medicinal / Specialty Crops

Aloe vera: 1 year to harvest, drought-tolerant, low labor, low pest.

Drumstick (Moringa): 1 year to first harvest, low water, low labor, high market demand.

Cactus / Opuntia: Very low water, low labor, low risk; niche market.

C. Nut Crops

Cashew: 3–5 years to first yield, moderate water, red soil suitable, medium labor, low pests.

3. Crop Combinations / Intercropping Ideas

Custard apple + papaya / pineapple in early years → quick returns.

Coconut + guava / drumstick → coconuts take time; intercropping gives income.

Red soil + drip irrigation: highly recommended to save water and improve yield.

4. Recommended Strategy for Your 6 Acres

Coconut: Plant 2–3 acres with proper spacing (25 ft × 25 ft). Time to first yield ~5–6 years.

Custard apple: Plant 2 acres — low-cost, low-water, low-risk.

Quick-return intercrops: Use remaining 1 acre for papaya, pomegranate, drumstick, or pineapple to get income within 1 year.

Irrigation: Install drip system for all crops to minimize water usage and labor.

Organic matter: Mix farmyard manure / compost in planting pits for better growth in red soil.

Summary
Criteria	Coconut	Custard Apple	Quick-return Intercrops
Cost	High	Medium	Low
Yield Time	5–6 years	2–3 years	9–12 months
Water Requirement	Moderate–High	Low	Low–Moderate
Labor	High	Low	Low
Pest Risk	Medium	Low	Medium
Risk	Medium	Low	Low

Sir/Madam, I am having 6 acres of red soil lands with bore water and TB canal water. The lands are 15 km away from Bellary city (583 103 )in Karnataka State and main road is 2 kms from our fields. I want to plant coconut trees and grow custard apple