MBA in Agri-Business is a specialised programme in business administration. It is a postgraduate course of two years duration. In most institutions, Master of Business Administration in agri-business is a programme covered over four semesters, with each semester being of six months and each year consisting of two semesters. The course in agri-business refers to the management of businesses related to farming and food production. It is also linked to agrochemicals, seed supply, farm machinery procurement, food processing and distribution, and retail and wholesale marketing.
MBA in Agri-Business course opens several career avenues for students, as they are trained in almost every aspect of agricultural business management. Students pursuing this course not only learn about the management principles and financial analyses of varied types but also gain the knowledge of managerial economics, marketing, organisational behaviour, people management, production, operations management and research methods used in agri-business management. Students even learn about business laws, management information systems, project management, seed production technology, chemicals and materials handling, and fertiliser technology.
Several B-schools and universities in India offer this specialised course in agri-business management. However, not all institutions offer the same quality of education to students. Following is a listing of such private and public institutions that offer an impactful MBA in Agri-Business programme:
Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Lucknow / Ahmedabad
Symbiosis Institute of International Business, Pune
Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Haryana
Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur
Rajendra Agricultural University, Bihar
International Agri-Business Management Institute, Gujarat
National Institute of Agriculture Extension Management, Hyderabad
MIT College of Management, Pune
Institute of Management Studies, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
Institute of Agri Business Management, Bikaner
Please note that most of the institutions in India offer an MBA in Agri-Business programme on a full-time basis. The course fee also varies from one institution to another. Usually, the course fee ranges between INR 2 lakhs and INR 8 lakhs. Students should check the course fee before applying to any institution for admission in its MBA programme. They should also have monetary resources to support their MBA studies.
Although students should be interested in the domain of agricultural business and food production and marketing, it is also essential for them to hold some other important skills in order to excel in MBA in Agri-Business course and make full use of their education in the field. Some of these necessary skills include the following:
Basic knowledge of agricultural practices, operations, and technology
Passionate about bringing a positive change to the agricultural scenario in the country
Enthusiastic about agricultural research
Innovative mind
Resource and people management skills
Leadership and teamwork abilities
As the country offers a wide range of job options in the agri-business industry, students who complete the MBA in Agri-Business course can explore various types of roles suitable for them. Some of these job roles can be of operation officers, market analysts, financiers, agricultural policy analysts, sales managers, farm appraisers, sales managers, commercial executives, and investment analysts. While they can work with the food and supply departments, they can also try relevant job roles in agricultural product processing firms.
Further, students who pursue an MBA in Agri-Business course may also be interested in teaching. Such students can find the roles of lecturers in the agri-business management subjects taught at B-schools and universities. On the other hand, some students can associate themselves with the food production and agricultural businesses. They can work in the corporate and retail agricultural sectors. There are wonderful job prospects in areas like technical monitoring, quality assurance, project management, etc.
Apart from the above, students of MBA in Agri-Business course can hone themselves to start their own businesses in the agricultural sector. They can move into the sales or processing of some agricultural products. Interesting job opportunities also exist in the import-export firms that deal in agricultural products. If students decide to do further studies in this domain up to PhD level, then their career prospects can increase manifold. Agri-business experts, after completing MBA, can expect to get a starting salary between INR 2 lakhs and INR 10 lakhs. It depends on the kind of roles and business they work with.
Candidates who are interested in pursuing the MBA in Agri-Business course should meet the following basic eligibility criteria:
A candidate must possess a graduation (10+2+3 pattern) degree in agriculture or an allied discipline. Many institutions accept a graduation degree in home science or a life sciences subject. Candidates with a postgraduate degree in these subjects are also eligible to apply.
The candidate should have secured a minimum of 50% marks in the qualifying exam. However, this condition may vary as per the institution and candidate category.
A candidate needs to appear for an entrance exam that is applicable for admission in a particular institution offering MBA in Agri-Business. Most institutions accept exams like CAT, MAT and GMAT to admit candidates in their management programmes. Still, it is critical to know beforehand about which test scores your desired institution accepts.
As there may be a few other eligibility conditions that certain B-schools or universities may have set for Indian or foreign students, it is critical for applicants to check every single criterion before seeking admission in a B-school.
An MBA in Agri-Business course is a specialisation under the business administration programme. There are no further specialisations available under this course. However, students are given the complete knowledge of various aspects of agri-business when they pursue this course. Ranging from the business ethics and strategic management of agri-business to fruit production and technology management for livestock products, students are honed in all domains of agri-business.
Students also learn about the management of biotech industries and floriculture and landscaping. All such theoretical knowledge coupled with practical exposure turns them into professional agri-business managers who can find a great career scope in this field. As India is an agriculture-based economy, there are several job opportunities for these professionals in the government and private sector.