Horticulture industry is the backbone of an agrarian economy and if offers wide choice of career opportunities for people with a relevant qualification in agricultural sciences or horticultural sciences. Horticultural science is an agricultural science which deals with the production, processing, marketing and consumption of fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices and condiments, tuber crops, plantation crops etc.

Horticulture industry encompasses various fields such as fruit and vegetable industry, spice industry, floriculture industry, gardening and nursery industry, and other related fields such as landscaping. Plenty of jobs are available in all these sectors and people who aspire to have a career in this field should at least have a diploma or degree in horticulture or agriculture.

Courses in horticulture are offered by almost all state agricultural and horticultural universities and some private institutes. A bachelor in horticulture is a four year course while a post graduate programme is a two year duration course.

Major career options are as Horticulturist, Horticulture Officer or Horticulture Supervisor in hotels, resorts and construction companies; as Warehouse Managers, Store Managers and Quality Managers in fruit and vegetable retailing firms, as Unit Supervisors and Plant Managers in floricultural processing units, as Estate Managers and Plantation Managers in plantation firms and estates, as Scientists, Professors and Research Associates in academic institutions and research organizations, as Extension Officers, Trainers and Horticultural Project Coordinators in NGOs, as Marketing Executives in pesticides and insecticides companies and as District Horticulture Officer, Horticultural Technical Officer, Horticulture Inspector and Horticulture Farm Supervisor in government agricultural and horticultural departments.

Horticultural professionals can get in Civil Services sector too through competitive examinations. Self employment as a Horticulturist, Horticulture Consultant or Horticulture Therapist is always a good career option for horticulture professionals. One can choose to be a horticulture entrepreneur also by setting up a horticulture farm for growing fruits, vegetables or flowers or a horticulture nursery for nursery production of horticultural plants.