Introduction: Agriculture Download PDF

The agriculture industry is responsible for fulfilling humans' need for energy, and to some extent, shelter. In addition to food crops and livestock, the industry includes field crops such as cotton or tobacco. Companies involved in support functions such as pest management, animal husbandry, or other management are also included in agriculture. This is a huge industry, which employs approximately 42 percent of the world's laborers, although it composes less than 5 percent of the combined GDPs of the world.

Main Sectors

The agriculture industry is composed of enterprises involved in animal or crop production, as well as those performing related support functions such as research and development, labor contracting, or pest and disease management. The animal production segment includes not only the standard beef, dairy, chicken, or pork farms, but also apiaries (bee farms) and aquacultures (fish and seafood farms). Similarly, plant production comprises not only food crops but greenhouses, nurseries, and field crops such as tobacco or cotton.

Corporations (By Sales)

Trade Statistics

Country	Exports (thousands)	Imports (thousands)	Net Trade (thousands)	Share of Exports (%)	Share of Imports (%)	Exports Growth (%)	Imports Growth (%)
United States	67,590,375	35,684,446	31,905,929	13.873	6.863	5.748	7.764
Netherlands	37,619,356	23,991,311	13,628,045	7.721	4.614	17.055	9.972
France	28,891,563	20,695,282	8,196,281	5.930	3.980	12.806	4.282
Brazil	26,923,563	3,823,914	23,099,649	5.526	0.735	18.515	2.363
Argentina	26,755,362	786,732	25,968,630	5.491	0.151	13.653	6.172