APEDA Launches BHARATI Initiative to Boost India’s Agri-Food Exports, Aiming to Empower 100 Startups

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has launched its new initiative BHARATI — Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement — to strengthen India’s agricultural and processed food exports.

The launch took place on the sidelines of the “Food & Beverages Sector Stakeholders Meeting” chaired by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, in the presence of UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan. APEDA reiterated its commitment to developing and promoting the export of agricultural and processed food products from India to global markets. 

The programme aims to empower 100 agri-food and agri-tech startups by fostering innovation, accelerating their growth, and creating new export opportunities. Conceived as APEDA’s vision to achieve $50 billion in agri-food exports for its Scheduled Products by 2030, the initiative marks a significant step to strengthen India’s agricultural and processed food exports.

Starting September 2025, the pilot cohort will support startups engaged in high-value agri-food production, technology-driven services and food innovation. Focus areas include GI-tagged products, organic foods, superfoods, livestock products, novel processed foods and AYUSH products. The initiative also seeks to integrate advanced technologies such as AI-based quality control, blockchain traceability, IoT-enabled cold chains and agri-fintech solutions, while addressing sectoral challenges like perishability, wastage, logistics and regulatory compliance.

Aligned with national priorities like Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, Digital India and Start-Up India, BHARATI will run a three-month acceleration programme to prepare startups for export readiness, product development and market access. APEDA will collaborate with state agricultural boards, universities, IITs, NITs, industry bodies and incubators to identify and support promising ventures.

The first cohort will act as a model for an annual incubation programme, ensuring continuous innovation and long-term export growth. With the launch of the BHARATI initiative, APEDA aims to accelerate export growth of its Scheduled Products, foster innovation and forge meaningful collaborations by harnessing the power of youth and entrepreneurship to strengthen India’s position in global agri-food trade.