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Microlesson · 5-min read

Examples of Agricultural vs Non-Agricultural Income

# Agricultural Income vs Non-Agricultural Income: Examples

Under the Income-tax Act, agricultural income is exempt under Section 10(1). However, the classification of what qualifies as agricultural income is often tested. Below is a list to help you classify activities correctly.

## Agricultural Income (Exempt under Section 10(1))

1. Income from growing and selling crops (wheat, rice, etc.)

2. Rent or revenue from agricultural land situated in India

3. Income from crop-sharing (batai) arrangements

4. Income from orchards (e.g., mango, apple farms)

5. Income from farm buildings used for storage or worker residence (subject to conditions)

6. Growing and selling flowers on agricultural land

7. Nursery income — only if plants are grown in soil on agricultural land

8. Income from sale of rural agricultural land (rural land is not a capital asset)

9. Income from basic processing of produce (e.g., sun-drying of crops) where such processing is ordinarily employed to render the produce fit for market

## Non-Agricultural Income (Taxable)

1. Poultry farming

2. Dairy farming

3. Fisheries (fish farming)

4. Processing beyond the basic level (e.g., making jaggery from sugarcane — value addition)

5. Renting land for film shooting / weddings

6. Nursery income from urban pots / terraces (not in soil on agricultural land)

7. Income from sale of urban agricultural land (treated as capital asset)

8. Income from farmhouses not used for agricultural purposes

9. Income from growing trees on non-agricultural land

10. Tea, coffee, and rubber income — partly taxable (governed by Rules 7A / 7B / 8)

## Key Test Points

  • The land must be situated in India.
  • The activity must involve basic operations (tilling, sowing, planting) plus subsequent operations (weeding, harvesting).
  • Mere ownership or rental of land for a non-agricultural purpose does not make the income agricultural.

Worked example

### Example 1

Q. Mr. A owns a mango orchard. He sells mangoes for ₹2,00,000.

A. The income of ₹2,00,000 is agricultural income and fully exempt under Section 10(1) — orchards constitute agricultural activity.

### Example 2

Q. Mr. B runs a dairy farm and earns ₹3,50,000.

A. Dairy farming is not agricultural income as there is no cultivation of land. The ₹3,50,000 is fully taxable as business income (PGBP).

### Example 3

Q. Mr. C sells rural agricultural land and earns a gain of ₹10,00,000.

A. Rural agricultural land is not a capital asset under Section 2(14). Hence, the gain is not taxable — it is treated as agricultural income (exempt).

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Treating dairy/poultry/fishery income as agricultural — these involve no cultivation of land and are fully taxable.
  • Treating sale of urban agricultural land as exempt — urban agricultural land IS a capital asset, so capital gains apply.
  • Treating jaggery-making income wholly as agricultural — processing beyond what is needed to make produce marketable becomes a taxable business activity.
  • Treating nursery income from urban terrace pots as agricultural — only nursery operations carried on in soil on agricultural land qualify.
  • Treating income from renting farmland for film shooting as agricultural — the use is non-agricultural, hence taxable.
Bare-Act text Section 10(1) read with Section 2(1A) · Income-tax Act, 1961 · click to expand
Agricultural income shall not be included in the total income of the previous year of any person.
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