Careers
Horticulture is an aspect of agriculture that includes the cultivation of fruits and vegetables.
It also covers floriculture, or the cultivation of flowers, and other
agricultural practices.
Over the years horticulture has grown from a kitchen-garden kind of
activity into an organised area of agriculture. The increasing demand for fresh
and hygienically packaged fruits and vegetables offers new challenges for those
entering this field.
In the area of floriculture too, while the annual demand for flowers in the domestic
market continues to grow at a rate of 20% a year, the demand in the international
market is currently Rs 75,000 crores and supply is only 60% of this figure.The
export potential for these products is very good and therefore the prospects for
horticulture specialists are extremely bright.
With technological advancement, great emphasis is also being put on improving
regular varieties of fruits and vegetables for processing purposes, creating
exotic species for decorative and commercial purposes, and mass scale
multiplication of species for increased productivity.
With the liberalisation of the Indian economy the demand for agri-products has
greatly increased. Moreover, India's advantageous geographical location, with
its varying soil and climatic conditions and the advantage of three harvests a year,
as well as an abundant labour force, provides ample opportunities for the growth
of a range of agri-products throughout the year.
WORK
The work in horticulture and floriculture broadly covers growing and maintaining
horticultural and floriculture farms, parks and gardens, plant pathology, fruit and
vegetable processing, preservation and marketing of fruits, vegetables and
flowers, and involves -Production which covers the growing and harvesting of
raw fruits, vegetables and flowers carried out mainly by farmers. Much of the work
is that of farming, involving management and supervision of agricultural
practises for maximising yields. With the widespread commercialisation
of this activity, there are now industrial houses which handle large scale and
scientific cultivation of fruits and vegetables.
Processing covers all aspects of handling fruits and vegetables for distribution
whether in their natural form or as processed foods. New and scientific
methods of farming have made it possible to extend the shelf life of these
perishables. Processing involves various tasks, from the procurement of the
raw material to the final distribution of the end product, which may remain in
its natural form or be packaged. In floriculture, this would involve the work of
procurement of seeds, and the collection and distribution in natural or
packaged form for the domestic and export market. Experienced horticulturists
can become plantation assistants or quality inspectors for commercial
canning in quick-freezing stations or packaging for the domestic and
export market.
Gardening involves all aspects of cultivation of flowers, flowering plants, shrubs,
and ornamental trees for decorative purposes in gardens. Grafting,
collecting seeds and de-budding are some of the other functions which
have to be performed. Development and maintenance of town and country parks,
picnic areas, golf courses , as also landscaping of gardens, lawns , hot-houses
and nurseries are other areas handled by horticulturists.
In the area of Research, horticulturists look for ways to improve and breed new
varieties of fruits and vegetables or flowers, by the application of scientific
techniques such as tissue culture, micro-propagation, and embryo culture etc.
This would generally be undertaken in government-funded research institutions ,
although there are research and development laboratories being set up by
private sector companies in the business of processing or marketing horticultural
foods and flowers. Development also includes multiplication and distribution
of planting material and establishment of nucleus production centres.There are
also opportunities in Teaching and Advisory Services which would include
motivation of fruit growers, and liaison with marketing agencies within the country
and abroad.
ENTRY
Although it is possible to enter into the fields of horticulture and floriculture
without any formal training, it is advisable to have obtained some formal
training.
To become a horticulturist, a candidate should join the agricultural stream for
a B.Sc. in agriculture or horticulture. Most colleges do not conduct a separate
course for horticulture at the under-graduate level, but treat it as part of the
academic curriculum of agriculture. An MSc in horticulture however, offers
specialisations in floriculture, pomology (cultivation of fruits), and floriculture
Eligibility :
The basic eligibility criteria for a B.Sc. in horticulture is 10+2 with sciences including
Physics and Biology. For an M.Sc. in Horticulture, one must have a B.Sc. degree in
Agriculture or a related subject.
Duration :
Courses in horticulture are available at some universities, and are normally of
2-5 years duration, depending on the course.
Intitutions :
Some of the prominent institutions offering courses in Horticulture are listed below :
- College of Horticulture & Forestry, Solan, HP.
- College of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad.
- College of Agriculture, Pune, Maharashtra.
- Faculty of Horticulture, Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU), Coimbatore.
- College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Trichur, Kerala.
Qualified horticulturists and Flori culture specialists can be employed at various
levels
As supervisors, farm managers and estate managers at horticultural farms or estates.
In Government organisations, the department of horticulture appoints horticulture
officers, horticulture assistants, directors, deputy directors etc.
Managerial positions with private organisations involved in the processing and
marketing of fruits, vegetables or flowers
Various avenues for self employment are open, including setting up one's own
farm for growing fruits, vegetables or flowers, or ornamental plants ; running
nurseries or being employed in an advisory capacity with an organisation that
deals with horticultural activities.
Research openings, particularly in the area of genetic engineering, for creating
better and hardier strains of horticultural produce
