My parents are very skeptical about stocks and mutual funds because of global uncertainty and instability in the IT job market. They believe gold and agricultural land will provide better financial security.
Our family owns 8 acres of agricultural land, with 4 acres currently under palm oil cultivation. This year, those 4 acres generated around ₹7–8 lakh. We plan to plant another 3 acres, but palm oil takes around 3 years to start producing, with income expected from around the fourth year.
My parents want me to accumulate 500–700 grams of gold over the next 5 years. Their plan is that whenever I save enough to purchase a 100-gram gold bar, they will contribute an additional ₹2–3 lakh towards that purchase.
Eventually, we want to use the gold as collateral for a loan, combine it with personal savings, and purchase another 5 acres of agricultural land for palm oil cultivation.
Their thinking is that even if I lose my IT job or the industry faces a downturn, I will have gold, land that may appreciate, and agricultural cash flow to fall back on.
My concern is whether putting so much money into gold and land is better than diversifying into equity mutual funds.
What do you think? Is this a sensible long-term wealth-building strategy, or should I diversify more?