How Much Do Agricultural Officers Make? A Complete Guide

The position of an agricultural officer is a very sought-after job in the country, as there is a lot of prestige and recognition attached to it. Because of the rapid advancement in agricultural technology, the demand for quality agricultural professionals is also high. Learning about the opportunities in this sector and the scope of earning can help you decide whether you would like to pursue a career in agriculture. In this article, we discuss the average salary of an agricultural officer, who is an agricultural officer, their types and the skills that are needed to become one.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at time of writing. Salaries may vary depending on the hiring organisation and a candidate's experience, academic background and location.

How much do agricultural officers make?

If you are considering a career in agriculture, you may wonder "How much do agricultural officers make?". How much agricultural officers make depends on the location, educational qualifications, the organisation that you work for and whether you work in the public or private sector. Agricultural officers are often referred to as agricultural specialists. The average salary of an agricultural specialist is ₹51,478 per month. Private institutions and central government institutions may pay higher salaries than institutions run by the state government.

Who is an agricultural officer?

An agricultural officer ensures that all the agricultural activities in a particular area are carried out as per government regulations. They collaborate with farmers to help them successfully cultivate good quality crops. These officers investigate, test and sample agricultural produce to ensure they meet specified quality requirements. Agricultural officers work with a lot of data to understand current agricultural practices, availability of labour, weather conditions and previous agricultural practices to develop plans that ensure high-quality produce. Even though this position relates to agricultural practices in rural areas, agricultural officers can become regional or zonal managers as they gain experience.

Related: How To Become An Agriculture Officer: A Complete Guide

Types of agricultural officers

The term agricultural officers is very broad and there are several types of agricultural officer jobs, including:

1. Farm manager

National average salary: ₹26,433 per month

Primary duties: Farm managers work on farms and oversee the cultivation and harvest of crops, farm animals, equipment used and the documentation of details. They are responsible for testing the quality of the produce, soil, water, pesticides and fertilisers to make sure that they comply with all government regulations. They create plans for farming activities and livestock management to produce profitable yields. Farm managers supervise the activities of staff on the farm and ensure that they follow all health and safety protocols.

2. Agricultural manager

National average salary: ₹22,808 per month

Primary duties: Agricultural managers are also known as farm managers, but depending on the organisation that they work for, the job responsibilities of both these positions can be different. In some farms, agricultural managers directly oversee the daily operations of farms and in others, they are responsible for planning, supervising, documentation and administrative work, organising maintenance and repair of equipment and marketing of the produce. Food production and manufacturing companies, agricultural colleges, research institutes and farm management consultancy firms commonly employ agricultural managers.

3. Agricultural technician

National average salary: ₹10,454 per month

Primary duties: Agricultural technicians deal with the technical aspects of farming and cultivation by researching, collecting samples and testing them to check the quality of production. They collect samples from crops, animals, water and soil and test them in laboratories. Agricultural technicians study the pesticides and fertilisers being used during cultivation and observe their effects on the produce. Officers employed on animal farms record the consumption of food by animals and the quality of their produce. They are also responsible for selecting the chemicals and pesticides to be used during farming, overseeing their application and supervising pest control activities.

4. Agriculture specialist

National average salary: ₹ 51,478 per month

Primary duties: To help the farmers, agricultural specialists research farms and crops and collect information about best practices that produce the highest yields. They examine farmlands and weather conditions to determine the most suitable crops that can be cultivated, build relationships with other industry experts and support land conservation. Agricultural specialists advise farmers on crop choice, crop rotational patterns, soil and water quality and types of fertilisers to be used. Those working with livestock farmers help them with animal husbandry, nutrition and quality improvements.

Related: How To Become An Agricultural Engineer

Skills needed to become an agricultural officer

Some skills that can help agricultural officers do well at their jobs are as follows:

Subject knowledge

Agricultural officers require in-depth knowledge about crops, cultivation, soil, water quality and weather conditions. You can develop your knowledge in this area by taking up a course in agriculture, botany, animal husbandry, dairy farming, horticulture or soil science. You can also take up different agricultural courses available on the e-Learning Portal on Agricultural Education. These courses have been prepared as per ICAR approved syllabus and make professionals ready to work in agriculture.

Technical knowledge

Along with subject knowledge, agricultural officers must have the technical knowledge to perform their duties effectively in the field. This technical knowledge includes the knowledge of agricultural land specifications for different crop varieties, information about merchants and dealers in the locality, methods of assessing the creditworthiness of farmers and procedures to establish relationships with farmer cooperative societies. Since agricultural officers work closely with farmers, having an idea about different loan products for farmers and loan eligibility criteria is also important.

Research

Research skills help agricultural officers stay abreast of all the latest developments in the sector. They can do this by reading research articles, attending seminars and networking with other industry professionals. Researching extensively can help discover procedures that can improve the quality of yield and health of livestock, thereby increasing the profitability of the produce. Along with research skills, curiosity is an important skill that can help these officers continuously look for ways to improve food quality, address pest and weed issues and discover effective fertilisers.

Communication

Communication skills are very important for professionals in agriculture as they continuously have to interact with farmers, dealers and merchants, cooperative society heads, suppliers and many other parties. They work in rural areas and may find the urban style of communication difficult. In such situations, knowing the regional language can be very helpful as farmers may not know multiple languages. Agricultural officers also have to report their findings and observations on farms to their superiors. Through effective communication, they can support their claims and suggest how they can improve the quality of yield in a particular region.

Decision-making

Agricultural officers study the farm, soil and water and decide which crops will grow well in that particular region. Decision-making becomes an important skill as they have to continuously have study resources and available data to identify solutions that improve the quality of the harvest. When there are problems like droughts or floods, the decision-making skills of agricultural officers determine whether farmers suffer losses or if they can save the produce. While marketing the harvest to merchants and dealers, this skill helps officers decide whether a deal is profitable and worth pursuing.

Physical strength

Agricultural officers spend a lot of their time outdoors in the farms inspecting them, testing the soil and supervising farming activities. They also have to move around to interact with local dealers and merchants to get the best deals for farmers. Often, they may even have to teach new farming techniques to farmers and work on the field with them. This requires agricultural officers to maintain good physical health and have the capacity to endure long hours of work in different weather conditions.

Related: How To Develop Your Skill Set: A Complete Guide

What is the job outlook for agricultural officers?

Agriculture has always played an important role in India's economy. With the increasing demand for food all around the world, there is a constant need for sustainable farming practices. Due to the advancements in agricultural technology, there is also a demand for qualified agricultural professionals to guide farmers who lack resources and knowledge. Since there is a shortage of talent in this sector, organisations are willing to pay higher salaries to retain quality talent. Organisations pay even higher packages to agricultural officers who are proficient in the use of technology and can easily adapt to the latest technological developments.

As an agricultural officer, you can work with government institutions and private companies. You can also become a farming consultant or become an entrepreneur once you have gained substantial experience. Since farming is an industry that will always exist, professionals in this sector also enjoy job security and know that there are plenty of job opportunities available. But, most of these opportunities are in the rural areas as almost all the farming activities happen rurally.