Agri-Business Management

By: Jan 14th, 2017 12:08 am

An Attractive Career For Youth

htwAgriculture is the backbone to the Indian economy. This sector occupies 17.5% rate in the national GDP. This sector is providing occupation to major population in the country apart from providing food to the nation. Agriculture is also supplying lot of raw materials to many major industries in the country. However changing trends of business strategies, advanced technological information, globalization and changes in the role of government are all shooting lot of challenges to the agriculture sector. Today’s agriculture is not just limited to food production but is also playing an important role on the business front.  New inputs and new technologies are hitting market everyday. The market for processed and packaged food products is increasing day by day and therefore there is a vital need of trained manpower in this business. Only 14% of total food products are being processed in India, whereas, 35% food is wasted during packaging and transportation. Many businesses started building up in and around agriculture. This resulted in growth of agri-business. It is becoming a popular career choice for agriculture students and there is a great need to develop the professional agri-business managers, who cannot only fill the management requirements of the changing agriculture scenario but also prove to be a great support to the farmers.

What is Agri business?

Every company that is doing business transactions with farmers come under the agri business sector. These transactions may be either in the form of products or even services. Similarly suggestions for agriculture, seeds, pesticides, supplying agriculture equipment all come under agri business. In the same way providing loans to agriculture, agriculture insurance, stocking agri products, transportation, packing, processing, and distribution also come under the same sector. To summarize, right from investment for agri production till marketing the products all the stages put together is called agri business. There is indeed a correlation between production of the crop, processing, marketing and transportation. However in developing countries like India agri business can be divided into to four major semi-sectors like investment, production, processing and marketing plus transportation. The success of these sectors is more or less interrelated. Utilizing advanced technology to enhance agriculture production and adding management values for better revenues is what successful agri business is all about.

Agri Business in India

Today we have reached to a position of exporting the food products to the other countries. But when compared to other countries like china we are still lagging behind in the production of food grains per hectare land. Moreover India is still processing only 16% of its food production and almost 35% of the food is being wasted at the time of packaging and transportation. On the other side, market for processed and packaged food is expanding rapidly. Based on this, agriculture related industries are being promoted in a big way. According to these changing trends the requirement for qualified human resources in agriculture sector is increasing. So with increasing business options in this sector Agri-Business management is turning out into an attractive career for the youth. Agriculture students are now changing their roles as agri business managers and must understand that they should not only know their organizations requirements but must also stand in support to the farmers helping them implement new changes in their farming for better yields.

Eligibility

Anyone who has done their degree in agriculture or related fields like dairy, food, agriculture engineering, forestry can join in the agribusiness management courses. Those coming from recognized universities are given priority compared to others.

Job Prospects

All organisations offering agribusiness management course are providing good job opportunities. Those who have done these courses can join in the warehousing, retail, seeds companies, fertilizers and pesticides companies, banks and insurance sectors. Those who have good potential can find excellent growth in these industries. They can join management experts in the agriculture related industries, policy makers in financial industries, teaching as well as in research fields. They can also look for a career in agriculture consultancy, journalism, agri banking, hi-tech farming and agriculture engineering sectors. Though the course has been the same the job responsibilities changes based on the sector each chooses.

Remuneration

Due to global opportunities agribusiness management students are starting their career with best salaries in the industry. The salaries are based on the candidate’s qualifications, university, experience and expertise. There is no doubt that agribusiness sector is going to offer attractive salary packages and job opportunities to candidates in the coming years ahead.

Institutes

*          National Institute of Agricultural Marketing, Jaipur, 0141-2771938

*          National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management, Hyderabad 040-24016702

*          National Institute of Rural Development, Hyderabad  040-24008439

*          Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, 079-66325700

*          Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 0161-2400955

Institute in Himachal

*          Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, 01792-252363


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