Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has launched BHARATI, a new initiative aimed at empowering 100 agri-food and agri-tech startups to boost India’s agricultural exports. The announcement was made during the “Food & Beverages Sector Stakeholders Meeting” chaired by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, with participation from UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan.
BHARATI, short for Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement, is part of APEDA’s vision to achieve USD 50 billion in agri-food exports by 2030. The initiative aims to promote innovation, create new export opportunities, and strengthen India’s presence in global agri-food trade.
Starting September 2025, the first pilot cohort will support 100 startups, including high-value food producers, technology-driven service providers and innovators. The programme focuses on high-value categories such as GI-tagged products, organic foods, superfoods, AYUSH products, livestock products, and novel processed foods, while also promoting technologies like AI-based quality control, blockchain-enabled traceability, IoT-enabled cold chains, and agri-fintech solutions.
APEDA said BHARATI will address export challenges like perishability, wastage, value addition, quality assurance, packaging, and logistics. The programme will foster a collaborative ecosystem connecting startups, tech solution providers, industry bodies and government agencies to deliver scalable, cost-effective solutions.
Aligned with national initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, Digital India, and Start-Up India, BHARATI will run a nationwide campaign to attract solution-oriented startups. Selected startups will undergo a three-month acceleration programme focusing on export readiness, product development, regulatory compliance, market access, and collaborative solutions.
APEDA will also partner with state agricultural boards, agricultural universities, IITs, NITs, industry associations, and existing accelerators to strengthen the ecosystem. The pilot cohort is expected to serve as a model for an annual incubation programme, driving long-term innovation and export growth.
