Checked on 8 August 2026. Rates, rules and portals in Karnataka change, sometimes at short notice. Treat this as an orientation, not as advice on your own transaction, and have your advocate confirm anything that decides money.
What changed in 2020
Until 2020 the Karnataka Land Reforms Act placed real limits on who could hold agricultural land. Section 79A barred purchase by a person whose non-agricultural income exceeded a stated threshold. Section 79B required that agricultural land be held by someone personally cultivating it, and barred holding by companies, trusts and societies. Section 80 restricted transfers to non-agriculturists.
The Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance of July 2020 repealed those provisions. The practical effect was that non-agriculturists and companies could buy farmland in the state, which is the single biggest reason the market for plantation land here changed.
Why it still needs checking
Two reasons. First, the direction of policy is not settled: there was public discussion in 2024 about reinstating 79A and 79B, and while that is not the same as law changing, it is a reminder that this is politics as much as statute.
Second, and more immediately: the repeal of those sections did not make every piece of agricultural land freely transferable. Restrictions attached to the land rather than to the buyer are untouched by it. Granted land under the PTCL provisions, inam land, land subject to tenancy claims and land with restricted tenure noted on the RTC all carry their own bars, and those bars are where transactions actually fail.
So the useful question is rarely “am I allowed to buy agricultural land in Karnataka”. It is “is this particular survey number transferable to me”, and that is answered by reading the RTC, the mutation chain and the tenure, not by reading the newspaper.
NRIs and foreign nationals
This is a separate regime and the 2020 repeal has no bearing on it. Acquisition of agricultural land, plantation property and farmhouses by non-residents and foreign nationals is governed by FEMA and the Reserve Bank's rules, which treat plantation property as its own category and are considerably more restrictive than the position for residents.
Inheritance is treated differently from purchase. Repatriation of proceeds has its own rules again. If you hold a foreign passport or are non-resident, this needs an advocate who does this work regularly, before you look at properties rather than after.
What we will and will not tell you
We will tell you honestly whether what you have in mind looks workable, what the RTC and mutation chain say about a specific property, and where the likely obstacles sit. We will introduce you to a local advocate who does this every week.
We will not give you a legal opinion on your eligibility. Not because it is a difficult question to have a view on, but because the consequence of being wrong falls on you and not on us, and that is precisely the situation where you want somebody with professional liability rather than an estate agent with an opinion.
Common questions
Can a non-agriculturist buy agricultural land in Karnataka?
The Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Ordinance of July 2020 repealed sections 79A, 79B and 80, which had barred purchase by non-agriculturists and by companies, trusts and societies. That opened the market to non-agriculturist buyers. The position should still be confirmed with an advocate for your specific case, because policy has been debated since and because restrictions attaching to particular land are unaffected by the repeal.
What were sections 79A and 79B?
79A barred the purchase of agricultural land by a person whose non-agricultural income exceeded a stated threshold. 79B required agricultural land to be held by a person personally cultivating it and barred holding by companies, trusts and societies. Both were repealed in July 2020, along with section 80 which restricted transfers to non-agriculturists.
Does the 2020 repeal mean any agricultural land can be sold to anyone?
No, and this is the common mistake. The repeal removed restrictions attaching to the buyer. Restrictions attaching to the land itself remain: granted land under the PTCL provisions, inam land, land subject to tenancy claims and land with restricted tenure noted on the RTC each carry their own bars. Those are where transactions actually fail.
Can an NRI buy a coffee estate in Karnataka?
Acquisition of agricultural land, plantation property and farmhouses by non-residents and foreign nationals is governed by FEMA and Reserve Bank rules, which treat plantation property as a separate and considerably more restricted category, and the 2020 repeal has no bearing on it. Inheritance is treated differently from purchase, and repatriation has its own rules. Take specialist advice before viewing properties, not after.
Can a company buy plantation land in Karnataka?
The bar on companies, trusts and societies holding agricultural land sat in section 79B, which was repealed in 2020. Whether a particular acquisition is workable for a particular entity is a question for an advocate, and the restrictions attaching to the specific land still apply regardless of who is buying.
Will you advise me on whether I am eligible?
We will tell you honestly whether what you have in mind looks workable, what the records say about a specific property, and where the obstacles are likely to be, and we will introduce you to a local advocate. We will not give a legal opinion on eligibility, because the consequence of being wrong falls on you, and that is exactly when you want somebody carrying professional liability.
Tell us what you're looking for.
Most of our inventory is off-market and never published online. Send us your requirement on WhatsApp or call, we'll come back with what genuinely matches, usually within 24 hours.