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

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:

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.

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.