The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has started a new programme called BHARATI: Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement. The launch was made during the Food & Beverages Sector Stakeholders Meeting in the presence of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan.
Aim of the Programme
BHARATI has been designed to support one hundred agri-food and agri-tech startups by giving them opportunities to grow, innovate and expand into global markets. The larger goal behind this initiative is to help India achieve fifty billion dollars in agri-food exports by 2030.
Pilot Batch Starting September 2025
The first pilot batch of the programme will begin in September 2025. In this phase, one hundred startups will be selected and given three months of training and mentorship. They will receive guidance on how to improve their products, packaging, quality, and market reach while also becoming export-ready. The programme will help them tackle challenges like wastage, perishability and logistics that often create barriers in international trade.
BHARATI will encourage startups to bring forward innovative ideas in different areas. These include organic foods, GI-tagged products, superfoods, livestock products and AYUSH-related foods. The programme also highlights the role of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence for quality checks, blockchain for traceability, IoT-enabled cold chains and digital financial solutions for agriculture. Along with technology, sustainability will be an important focus through eco-friendly packaging and better practices to reduce losses.
Building Strong Partnerships
To make the programme more effective, APEDA will work with state agricultural boards, universities, IITs, NITs, industry associations and other accelerators. These partnerships will ensure that startups receive technical expertise, research support and access to important networks that can help them succeed in global markets.
Aligned with National Missions
The BHARATI initiative supports the government’s wider campaigns such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, Start-Up India, Digital India and Vocal for Local. It is expected to not only strengthen India’s exports but also support farmers by creating demand for new and innovative products.
A Long Term Vision
The first batch will act as a model for future incubation programmes that will run every year. This means that more startups will get opportunities to benefit and contribute to the growth of the agri-food sector. With BHARATI, APEDA hopes to make India a stronger and more reliable player in the global food trade.
Date : 13 & 14 September 2025 Time : 10 AM to 5 PM Fee : Rs. 3000
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