Agriculture and Food Business Course Details - Fees, Subjects, Syllabus, Duration, Eligibility, Career Scope

Degrees offered: BS, B.Sc., M.Sc., B.Voc., MBA

What is Agriculture and Food Business

Several countries across the world including India are traditionally agro-based economies. This means agriculture and food businesses contribute significantly to the overall GDP of these countries. It is a quintessential part of an economy that only evolves with the advancement in science and technology but never loses its sheen. There is a wide range of job opportunities in the agriculture and food business. This ranges from opportunities in the research, retail sector, transportation industry, food, and fibre technology. The industry also involves jobs in the financial sector related to the agriculture industry such as banking and other financial institutions.

Agriculture and food business courses comprise a specialised branch of management studies that are taught in some of the most revered institutes of the country. One can do an undergraduate course followed by a postgraduate and even doctoral programme or can only do an MBA. Students pursuing B.Sc-M.Sc or B.Tech-M.Tech courses in agriculture and food business or related branches of science and technology can also expect to make a great career in the agricultural and food business in India as well as abroad.

Food and Agriculture Business Course Highlights:

Particulars	Specifications
Course type	UG, PG, doctorate
Admission Process	Through entrance exams and the admission process
Duration of course	UG- 4 years (B.Tech), PG- 2 years (masters)
Average course fee	Range from Rs.10000- Rs.23 lakhs
Average salary	Around Rs.1.5 lakhs – Rs.3 lakhs
Career options	Commodity merchandiser, market analyst, sourcing specialist, agronomist, agro goods supply chain manager, agricultural inspector, estate/farm manager, rural practice surveyor, agricultural consultant and financial advisor

Agriculture and Food Business Degrees and levels:

The various degree courses (and PhD programmes) offered by the renowned agriculture and food business institutes in India are as follows:

Undergraduate level (4 years): Candidates can obtain this degree from institutes offering the course after passing class 10+2. Here they have to study B. Tech in food technology, B. Tech in fibre technology, B. Tech in biotechnology, B.Sc in agriculture, B.Sc in agricultural economics, B. Sc in biotechnology, B.Sc in botany, B.Sc in biochemistry, BBA in agriculture business management, Food and Agricultural management.

Postgraduate level (2 years): After completing an undergraduate degree, students can opt for a postgraduate degree from esteemed universities or other institutes of agriculture and food business. Throughout this degree they have to read M. Tech in food technology, M. Tech in biotechnology, M. Tech in fibre technology, M. Sc in agriculture, M. Sc in agricultural economics, M. Sc in biotechnology, M. Sc in botany, M. Sc in biochemistry, MBA in agriculture business management, Food and Agricultural management.

Dual degrees in Agriculture and Food Business: Some colleges offer comprehensive Agriculture and Food Business courses for M. Sc which encompasses both B. Sc and M. Sc degrees from the same universities while some other courses offer M. Tech degrees along with a B. Tech degree together as part of the same course. Other degrees like MBA and BBA may also be clubbed together under a dual course. Dual courses are also available for aspirants taking up PhD.

PhD in agriculture and food business: Apart from all the courses at UG and PG level, willing students can also go for a PhD for their desired course. After completing of their master's degree and qualifying the required entrance examinations, aspirants can opt for completing a PhD in their field of interest as a part of the same course offered by the college.

Minimum and Maximum Duration of Agriculture & Food Business Courses

For a B.Tech or engineering degree in the Agriculture and Food Business industry and its related courses, the minimum duration is four years. For an undergraduate degree in the related fields, the minimum required duration is three years. Professional degrees like M. Tech and M. Sc or MBA take up to two years. Dual courses for masters in science and commerce (viz. business and management) take a minimum time of five years (3 for UG +2 for PG). For a masters in engineering or M. Tech, the dual courses take up to six years. The minimum time required for a PhD is four years or less.

The maximum duration for UG-level courses depends on the agriculture and food business college or university the student joins. For colleges that allow relaxation, the UG courses can extend from four to six years.

Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Agriculture and Food Business

Eligibility criteria in the UG level:

To pursue courses related to agriculture and food business a student must successfully clear 10+2 without any backlog. Additionally, the candidate must secure at least 50-60% score in culmination. It must be noted here that satisfying the eligibility criteria does not guarantee admission into colleges. Each college has a specific cut-off and students securing the cut-off or more are allowed for admission. These are the minimum eligibility criteria that allow students to apply for colleges. The minimum criteria may vary from category to category. For pursuing B. Tech after class 12 for UG, the candidate must additionally qualify the JEE exams. Some colleges have entrance tests that the candidates have to qualify for.

Eligibility criteria at the PG level:

The candidate must clear the graduation in a related field from a recognised university with at least 50-60% marks. For admission in a master's in any esteemed government-recognized institution such as IIT, IIM, JNU to name a few, the candidates must qualify for additional entrance examinations. Apart from this, private colleges may also have separate entrance exams for which a candidate must qualify for.

Agriculture & Food Business Courses: Admission Criteria for the Entrance after class 12

Admission to engineering courses takes place through a common entrance exam. For admission into highly reputed government institutions, students have to qualify for the JEE Main. Some private colleges also provide admission on the basis of entrance examinations held by the institutions. General admission in the other UG level courses takes place on the basis of the marks obtained in the final examination of class 12 or higher secondary exam. Admissions are also done on the basis of merit.

Entrance Exams for Agriculture & Food Business Courses

The entrance exam for pursuing MBA in agriculture and food businesses is known as the Common Admission Test or CAT. CAT is an aptitude test of the highest degree which is held once a year. It tests the problem-solving skills, mathematical intelligence and general knowledge of the aspirants. Students who are willing to do B.Tech in Agriculture and Food Business must qualify JEE main as well as the JEE advanced exam. The JEE exams are held annually. Aspiring aspirants can also apply for four of the top examinations namely ICAR AIEEA, CG PAT, MCAER CET and UPCATET.

Fees and Expenses of Agriculture & Food Business Course

The minimum fee for UG ranges from Rs.10,000 - Rs.13,000 for a bachelor's degree in courses related to agriculture and food business. The maximum fee can range from Rs. 3, 00,000- Rs 8, 00,000 and the range is the same for B. Tech or engineering degrees. The fee for pursuing MBA in IIM Lucknow is Rs. 14 lakhs and that of IIM Ahmedabad is Rs. 23 lakhs.

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Scope of Agriculture and Food Business in India and Abroad

We have discussed earlier that the food and agricultural business is a dynamic industry. There are a number of problems that are riddling the sector. The financial aspects of this industry are crucial for the economy as a whole. This is true for any country but for those with a huge populations like India, China and other Asian countries, the challenges are much bigger. This throws open a number of opportunities for students pursuing food business and agriculture courses. The industry also has a wide scope of research. There are a number of problems that need novel scientific solutions for mitigation.

Scope in India

India and its economy are largely dependent upon agriculture and its products. Thus, the scope of building a career in this field is huge. Consumers are shifting to online purchases. This results in the formation of new platforms and methods for food packaging, storage and transport. There is a wide scope of using new tools like genetically modified plants, novel microbial processing, food processing and so on. So, fresh graduates and postgraduates coming from a variety of streams like food technology, bioengineering, and agriculture can add much value to these developments.

Scope abroad

Even abroad, the food business is one sector that never goes out of trend. Asian countries like Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia and Western countries like the USA, Mexico, and European countries also have an economy that is partially dependent upon the production, development, export and import of food and agricultural products. Hence, the scope of jobs abroad is also quite promising.

The world population is higher than it has ever been. Providing food for the ever-growing population with limited space and resources without irreversibly damaging the environment is quite a challenge. This is why agriculture and food business management is a highly sought-after profession.

Course Fees Agriculture and Food Business

	Minimum Fees		Maximum Fees
	Private	Government	Private	Government
UG	4.89 Lakhs B.Sc.(Hons) in Agriculture and Food Business at Sri Sri University, Cuttack	--- Data not available	4.89 Lakhs B.Sc.(Hons) in Agriculture and Food Business at Sri Sri University, Cuttack	--- Data not available
PG	3.00 Lakhs MBA in Agriculture and Food Business at Integral University, Lucknow	5.95 Lakhs P.G.D.M in Agriculture and Food Business at Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bangalore	16.30 Lakhs MBA in Agriculture and Food Business at Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Nagpur	5.95 Lakhs P.G.D.M in Agriculture and Food Business at Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Bangalore

Course Subjects

For MBA in agriculture and food business in IIMs, the course subjects include:

Agricultural & Food Policy
Marketing of Agricultural inputs
Agricultural Finance
Management for agribusiness projects
International agri-food trade
Market research and information systems
Strategic food marketing
Value chain management applications in agribusiness
CINE: understanding creativity, innovation, knowledge, networks and entrepreneurship
Food and agri-business international strategies and organizations
Microfinance management
Food supply chain management
Analyzing and building competencies
Carbon finance
Sales and distribution management for agriculture
Public policy
Agribusiness entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship: innovating social change
Agricultural futures and option markets
Agribusiness leadership
Economics of food quality
Agricultural markets and pricing
Applied agricultural trade and policy analysis
Managing sustainability
Managing energy businesses

Course subjects for engineering and a bachelor's degree in agriculture and food business are:

Food Fermentation
Dairy Technology
Fibre Technology
Probiotics Technology
Microbial Fermentation Technology
Food Chemistry
Food Packaging Technology
Plant Sciences
Animal Husbandry

The above-mentioned courses are general highlights. The exact subjects list will be determined by the institution. Finally, some subjects may be added, skipped, or replaced.

Careers in Agriculture and Food Business

People with a diploma or degree from any recognised university or college can expect to get secured and well-paying jobs in the Agriculture and Food Business industry. Some jobs that a candidate can opt for are mentioned below. All of the below-mentioned jobs can be opted for by candidates soon after completion of a course related to Agriculture and Food Business.

Agriculture sector:

Farm Appraiser
Agriculture Policy Analyst
Quality Controller
Rural Development Manager
Supply Chain Manager
Food sector
Commodity Merchandise
Financial Advisor
Human Resources Specialist
Market Analyst
Marketing Assistant
Sales Representative
Sourcing Specialist
Supply Chain Manager
Marketing Head
Relationship Manager
Operations Manager
Business Development Manager
Sales Manager
Food Scientist (after completion of master's or PhD)

Upcoming trends

The food and agriculture business is a rapidly growing sector. There is an ever-growing population that needs food resources. The food and agriculture industry is responsible for providing food for all. This industry is facing several challenges. Due to limited resources, and high wastage of produce it is quite a challenge to devise ways to curb hunger. According to reports by WHO one-third of all the produced food goes to waste. To meet the high demands of the industry, researchers and executives alike are taking up new and innovative solutions.

The use of robotics in farms is one of the upcoming trends. Robotics technology has been developed by companies to eliminate weeds and unwanted plants on farms. Robotics is also used for the collection of harvest. Although this trend is in its nascent stage, the technology is predicted to benefit the Agriculture and Food Business through a widespread application. Another major trend that is sweeping the food and agricultural business is the introduction of a prototype blockchain. The development of such novel methods helps in faster transportation of goods from one place to another with increased transparency and without the hassles of complex paperwork. This prototype was tested in the transportation of soya beans from the United States of America to China and it resulted in three times faster transport.

Food and agricultural business are one of the fastest-growing sectors, not only in India but all over the world. Dealing in this industry of food and agriculture can be highly rewarding. One can expect to grow phenomenally here and even emerge as an entrepreneur, in the long run, provided he/she has a clear vision and rock-solid determination.

Job Profiles and Top Recruiters

There are a number of jobs that candidates can secure with a degree in AFB. The job profiles of some of the major jobs are discussed below:

Agribusiness manager: This job requires the candidates to be responsible for developing new marketing strategies for the agribusiness in the discussion. They are required to be working directly with the farmers for the expansion of their business from the branding perspective.

Commodity research analyst: This job requires candidates to research and understand the market for their commodities. This includes analysing the demand for the commodity, the competition and so on.

Senior business development manager: Like other businesses in the agriculture and food business senior business managers need to work towards the development of agribusiness. They need to coordinate with producers and distributors and other aspects of the business to ensure the efficient working of the business.

Agricultural loan officer: They are responsible for working in the banking sector. They are responsible for handling the prices of reviewing and approving (or declining) the loan applications for this business.

Commodity Merchandiser: They monitor the commodities and their trading, locating, and purchasing by the customers. They act as collaborators between plant managers and feed formulators. These officers are also responsible for maintaining contact between suppliers and consultants of the external market.

Financial advisor: They are mainly into client handling where they guide the clients about ways to manage their expenses and finances. Their responsibility is to research the marketplace and identify the best options with regard to product or service development so that these meet the client's demands.

Sales representative: They maintain contact between the business and its customers. They look into the customer demands and trends so that the business organisation can manufacture items that would satisfy them. They also identify the customer leads, and new markets where the company can venture in and pitch the potential customers.

Supply chain manager: they take care of the movement of products and goods to the customer and/or supplier from the manufacturers. From procuring the raw materials to delivering the final product- everything is monitored by them.

The major recruiters in the food and agriculture business sector in India are:

Godrej Agrovet
PI Industries
Pioneering Ventures
Ninjacart
Reliance Foundation,
Rabobank
INI Farms
Cloudtail
Reckitt Benckiser
ADM
KPMG
RIL
IBM
ICICI
TATA
Amazon
Olam
GCMMF
Tolaram
Kewalram (Afriventures)
ITC Agribusiness Division
ADM Agro
National Bulk Handling Corporation
Seedworks
Pidilite
Future Group
Grofers
Big Basket
Ninjacart
IDFC Bank
ITC
Cadbury
KRIBHCO
Dhaanya Seeds
Netafim, Magma
Sahaj, Triton
Afri Venture
BASF
JK Agri
Monsanto
Genetics
PHI Seeds
Britannia
Dabur
Tata Chemicals
Bharti Walmart

Agriculture and food business is a very important course and acts as a stepping stone to many interesting career opportunities. But it goes without saying that the competition in this field is stiff too. To avail of these opportunities, the candidates must work hard and show their merit in different examinations and secure admission to an agriculture college of repute.

Average Salary

The expected salary of qualified agriculture and food business managers depends on the course pursued and experience in the relevant field. In courses like masters or PhD, students may qualify to receive a stipend of up to Rs.30, 000 per month. According to data shared by IIM Lucknow, the expected salary after masters in agriculture and food business can range from Rs 6 lakhs - 12 lakhs per annum. Below mentioned are certain common jobs available and their average salary

Agribusiness Manager- Rs.5, 75000 per annum

Senior business managers- Rs.7, 10,000 per annum

Floor Manager - Rs.1, 61,015 per annum

Food Scientist- Rs.4, 80,000 per annum

Commodity Research Analyst- Rs.3, 51,516 per annum

Agriculture Loan Officer- Rs.33,578 per annum

Required Skillset for Agriculture and Food Business

Management skills: Management skills are a set of skills that allow aspirants to excel as an executive and fulfil tasks that are central to the daily operational activities of the Institute. This includes managing operational plans, future planning, supervising production, and so on.

Business skills: These are a particular set of skills required for a better understanding of the behaviour of the consumer and the organisation. These are soft skills that may be inculcated through experience and learning.

People skills: As simple as it may sound these refer to skills that allow easy interaction among people and also allows the development of rapport among numerous individuals.

Critical thinking skills: These refer to skills that allow an individual to be familiar with the latest developments in the food and agriculture business as well as the major trends of the industry.

Communication skills: Communication skills allow individuals to clearly express and exchange information. Proper communication skills not only facilitate one to convey information but also allows for feedback from others. In a field that is very dynamic and fast-evolving communication is one of the main requisites for success.

Course Curriculum for Agriculture and Food Business

The course curriculum depends on the specific course that the candidate is opting for. However, of all the aforementioned courses, MBA in food and agriculture business is the most popular and one of the most fruitful courses. Here we discuss the course curriculum for MBA in Agriculture and Food Business courses. The course curriculum includes the following:

Agricultural production systems
Marketing management
Principles of management
Accounting for Management
Managerial economics
Quantitative techniques for agri-managers
Computers for agri-management
Supply chain management
Business communication
On-farm project
Post-harvest management
Organic food production & certification
Retail management
Marketing research & report preparation
Agri-business laws
Rural marketing & ICT application
Agricultural marketing systems
Storage & collateral management
Rural finance & banking
Consumer behaviour & CRM
Advertisement and Promotion
Entrepreneurship & project management

Elective – Agriculture

Commodity trading & futures
Management of biotech industries
Management of organic agriculture

Elective – Food Business

Food Processing Industry
Food Retailing
Agri Procurement management
Food Packaging Industry
Product & brand management
Management Information Systems
Operations management

Elective – Agriculture

Farm management & contract farming
Agricultural risk management
Management of agri-inputs

Elective – Food Business

Food Processing Environment & Policy
Food Export/Import Management
Quality Control in the Food Industry

Summer internship and dissertation are must in any agriculture and food business course if pursued from a recognized university.

For engineering courses, the curriculum covers:

Engineering mathematics
Introductory science skills
Introductory courses on food technology or biotechnology
Life sciences for engineering
Principles of food engineering
Principles of food processing
Food safety
Food microbiology
Food industry economics
Summer internship
Dissertation

For UG/PG courses relative to food and agriculture business, the course curriculum includes:

Basics of biochemistry
Basics of biology
Basics of botany for crops
Foreign language (optional)
Mathematics for biological
Statistics for biology
Physiology for plants and animals
Nutrition
Microbiology
Fermentation technology

The exact course curriculum varies from institute to institute. The above-mentioned curriculum is a general overview of an Agriculture and Food Business course which is not limited to the subjects mentioned.