As part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has unveiled a bold new initiative, BHARATI — Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement. Launched during the Food & Beverages Sector Stakeholders Meeting on September 2, 2025, this program aims to supercharge India’s agri-food startup ecosystem and position the country as a global leader in high-value agri exports.
The initiative was officially launched by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and Union Food Processing Industries Minister Shri Chirag Paswan, marking a significant step in India-UAE collaboration in food trade and investment.
What is BHARATI?
BHARATI is a pioneering incubation and export enablement programme that will empower 100 agri-food and agri-tech startups through a structured three-month acceleration cohort beginning in September 2025. Its mission is clear: drive innovation, improve export readiness, and support the Government of India’s target of achieving $50 billion in agri-food exports by 2030.
The initiative will focus on a broad spectrum of high-potential sectors such as:
GI-tagged products
Organic and superfoods
Processed Indian agri-foods
AYUSH and livestock products
Innovative food technologies
Focus on Technology and Sustainability
What sets BHARATI apart is its strong emphasis on cutting-edge technologies like:
AI-based quality control
Blockchain for traceability
IoT-enabled cold chains
Agri-fintech for smart financing solutions
The initiative also prioritizes sustainable practices, innovative packaging, and post-harvest protocols to tackle critical challenges in export logistics, product perishability, and quality assurance.
A Nationwide Movement for Agri-Innovation
Aligned with flagship missions like Atmanirbhar Bharat, Digital India, Vocal for Local, and Startup India, BHARATI will catalyze entrepreneurship in India’s agri sector. APEDA plans to roll out a nationwide awareness campaign to attract promising startups. The application process for the first cohort opens on the APEDA website in September 2025, where 100 startups will be shortlisted based on their innovation potential and export scalability.
Selected startups will receive:
Mentorship and training on export compliance and regulatory requirements
Assistance with market access and global positioning
Collaborative support from institutions like IITs, NITs, agricultural universities, and industry bodies
Forging a Future-Ready Agri Export Ecosystem
BHARATI isn’t just a one-time initiative — it’s envisioned as a scalable, annual programme that will continuously feed into India’s agri-export strategy. The goal is to build a pipeline of export-ready startups that contribute to long-term sectoral growth, reduce wastage, enhance value addition, and ensure that Indian agri-products meet international standards.
By fostering a robust ecosystem of youth-led innovation, APEDA is laying the foundation for India’s agri-export renaissance, making it not just the food bowl of the world, but a value-added agri-export powerhouse.