The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) launched the BHARATI initiative on September 2, 2025, during a Food Beverages Sector Stakeholders Meeting. BHARATI, which stands for "Bharat's Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement," aims to empower 100 agrifood and agritech startups to drive innovation and boost India's agrifood exports to a target of $50 billion by 2030. The initiative was launched by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Shri Chirag Paswan.
The pilot cohort, commencing in September 2025, will focus on promoting advanced technologies such as AI-based quality control, blockchain-enabled traceability, and IoT-enabled cold chains. BHARATI will complement existing industry and government-led incubation programs, targeting high-value categories including GI-tagged agriproducts, organic foods, superfoods, novel processed Indian agrifoods, livestock, and AYUSH products. It also seeks to address export challenges related to product development, value addition, quality assurance, perishability, wastage, and logistics.
APEDA will partner with state agricultural boards, universities, IITs, NITs, and industry bodies to attract startups. The selected startups will undergo a three-month acceleration program focused on product development, export readiness, regulatory compliance, and market access. A nationwide awareness campaign will precede the application and selection process, which will be conducted through the APEDA website, starting September 2025. The initiative aligns with the Government of India's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, Digital India, and StartUp India.
Key Entities Referenced
BHARATI: A new initiative launched by APEDA, which stands for Bharats Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement, designed to empower 100 agrifood and agritech startups, accelerate their journey, promote innovation and create new export opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
APEDA: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, the organization that launched the BHARATI initiative.
Piyush Goyal: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, who chaired the Food Beverages Sector Stakeholders Meeting.
Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi: UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, who participated in the launch of the BHARATI initiative.
Chirag Paswan: Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, who participated in the launch of the BHARATI initiative.
50 billion: Target agrifood exports in USD by 2030, a goal of the BHARATI initiative.
UAE: United Arab Emirates, country of the Foreign Trade minister who participated in the launch.
India: Country to be focused by boosting exports from the BHARATI initiative
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
APEDA launches BHARATI initiative to boost agri-
food exports
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush
Goyal, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin
Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Union Minister of Food
Processing Industries Shri Chirag Paswan launches
the initiative during the Food & Beverages Sector
Stakeholders Meeting
BHARATI to empower 100 agri-food startups, drive
innovation and boost exports towards $50 billion
target by 2030
The pilot cohort from Sept 2025 to promote
advanced technologies, and strengthen India’s global
competitiveness
Posted On: 02 SEP 2025 8:48PM by PIB Delhi
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) launched its new
initiative BHARATI on the sidelines of the “Food & Beverages Sector Stakeholders Meeting” chaired by
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal, alongside H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al
Zeyoudi, UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade, and Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Shri Chirag
Paswan.
BHARATI, which stands for Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export
Enablement, has been designed to empower 100 agri-food and agri-tech startups, accelerate their journey,
promote innovation and create new export opportunities for young entrepreneurs. 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 in September 2025, the inaugural pilot cohort will empower 100 startups, including high-value agri-
food producers, technology-driven service providers and innovators. The BHARATI initiative is structured to
complement and enhance industry and government-led incubation programmes in the agriculture, food and
food processing sectors. It seeks to drive innovation in high-value categories such as GI-tagged agri-products,organic foods, superfoods, novel processed Indian agri-foods, livestock products and AYUSH products. The
initiative also aims to attract startups working on advanced technologies such as AI-based quality control,
blockchain-enabled traceability, IoT-enabled cold chains and agri-fintech, while addressing critical areas like
innovative packaging, sustainability and sea protocols. BHARATI seeks to resolve export challenges related
to product development, value addition, quality assurance, perishability, wastage and logistics. By fostering a
collaborative ecosystem, the programme will connect agri-food innovators, tech-driven solution providers and
SPS-TBT-focused startups to deliver scalable, cost-effective solutions that enhance India’s global
competitiveness.
Aligned with the Government of India’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, Digital India and
Start-Up India, the BHARATI initiative will create globally competitive agri-products, fuel demand-driven
backward integration for food innovation and boost global demand for Indian food, beverage and processed
food products and services. The initiative includes a nationwide awareness campaign to engage stakeholders
and attract solution-oriented startups from across India, along with an application and selection process
beginning September 2025 through the APEDA website to shortlist 100 startups for the export enablement
programme. Selected startups will undergo a three-month acceleration programme focusing on product
development, export readiness, regulatory compliance, market access and collaborative solutions to address
export challenges. To strengthen this ecosystem, APEDA will partner with state agricultural boards,
agricultural universities, premier institutions like IITs and NITs, industry bodies and existing accelerators to
attract startups for agri-export enablement.
The pilot cohort will serve as a model for a scalable annual incubation programme, driving continuous
innovation and long-term export growth. APEDA reiterated its commitment to developing and promoting the
export of agricultural and processed food products from India to global markets. 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
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Abhishek Dayal/ Abhijith Narayanan/ Ishita Biswas
(Release ID: 2163196)