**Executive Summary**
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has successfully concluded the first cohort of the BHARATI programme, a flagship initiative designed to accelerate innovation in India’s agri-food export sector. The programme supported 100 startups through a 120-hour curriculum and international exposure, contributing to India’s strategic goal of achieving USD 50 billion in exports by 2030. Following the success of this inaugural cohort, APEDA has announced that it will soon launch the next edition of the programme.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Programme Objectives and Strategic Goals**
* **Innovation-Led Growth:** BHARATI (Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Innovation) aims to nurture high-potential startups to enhance global market readiness.
* **Export Target:** The initiative is aligned with India’s goal to reach USD 50 billion in APEDA-scheduled product exports by 2030.
* **Ecosystem Development:** Focuses on strengthening the agri-food export ecosystem through technology adoption, value addition, and entrepreneurship.
**Cohort Composition and Training**
* **Diverse Representation:** 100 startups were selected from 22 States and 2 Union Territories, with entrepreneurs ranging in age from 17 to 75 years.
* **Sector Breakdown:** The cohort included 68 product-based startups, 26 technology and service providers, and six innovators focused on compliance, traceability, and quality assurance.
* **Structured Curriculum:** Participants underwent 120 hours of training covering export preparedness, regulatory compliance, packaging, branding, and investor readiness.
* **Mentorship:** Startups received one-to-one mentorship and engaged with financial institutions, industry experts, and government bodies.
**Market Exposure and Outcomes**
* **International Presence:** APEDA facilitated the participation of the top eight startups at Gulfood 2026 in Dubai, resulting in over 100 B2B meetings.
* **Export Achievements:** Startups successfully exported 37 MT of GI-tagged Jardalu mangoes to Dubai and executed the first-ever sea shipment of millet-based functional foods to New Zealand.
* **Global Expansion:** Multiple startups secured MoUs and orders from international markets, including the UAE, USA, UK, Singapore, Oman, Japan, and Cameroon.
* **Domestic Growth:** One participant expanded its domestic retail footprint to 100 stores across India via e-commerce and physical retail.
**Impact Analysis**
**Agri-food Startups**
**Impact**
Startups gained essential technical knowledge, business scaling strategies, and direct access to global buyers and investors, significantly improving their export readiness.
**Action Required**
Participating startups must fulfill existing export orders and MoUs while applying the 120-hour training modules to their operations.
**APEDA**
**Impact**
The authority has successfully established a pipeline of export-ready enterprises, moving closer to national export targets and diversifying the range of exported products.
**Action Required**
APEDA must finalize and launch the next edition of the BHARATI Programme to continue supporting the agri-innovation ecosystem.
**International Trade Stakeholders**
**Impact**
Importers and global retailers gained access to innovative, high-quality Indian products, including GI-tagged and organic goods.
**Action Required**
Interested international buyers need to continue B2B negotiations and finalize logistics for upcoming consignments from the supported startups.
Key Entities Referenced
BHARATI (Bharat's Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Innovation): APEDA's flagship export enablement and acceleration programme designed to foster innovation-led growth in India's agri-food export sector.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA): The primary authority under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry responsible for promoting and developing exports of scheduled agricultural and processed food products.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry: The central ministry overseeing India's export growth strategy and the implementation of the BHARATI initiative through APEDA.
Gulfood 2026: A major international food and beverage trade exhibition in Dubai used as a platform for BHARATI startups to engage with global buyers.
Shri Abhishek Dev: Chairman of APEDA who leads the strategic implementation of the BHARATI programme and the transition toward a future-ready export ecosystem.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
APEDA Successfully Concludes First Cohort of
BHARATI Programme to Accelerate Innovation-
Led Growth in Agri-Food Exports
100 Startups from 22 States and 2 Union Territories Complete
Export-Focused Acceleration Programme
Posted On: 24 JUN 2026 7:44PM by PIB Delhi
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the
Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, has successfully concluded the first cohort of
BHARATI (Bharat's Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Innovation),
its flagship export enablement and acceleration programme aimed at fostering innovation-led growth in
India's agri-food export sector. Beyond supporting stakeholders, BHARATI seeks to cultivate a dynamic
ecosystem aligned with India's target of achieving exports worth USD 50 billion in APEDA-scheduled
products by 2030.
The programme was launched to identify, nurture and support high-potential startups developing
innovative products, technologies and solutions that can enhance India's agricultural and processed food
exports. The initiative aims to strengthen the country's agri-food export ecosystem by promoting
entrepreneurship, innovation, value addition, technology adoption and global market readiness.
The inaugural cohort comprised 100 startups from 22 States and 2 Union Territories, selected through a
rigorous multi-stage evaluation process from over 700 applications received from across the country. The
cohort included 68 agri-food product startups, 26 export-enabling technology and service providers, and
six innovators working in the areas of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, traceability, quality
assurance and compliance solutions.
Reflecting the diversity and vibrancy of India's innovation ecosystem, the cohort featured entrepreneurs
ranging in age from 17 to 75 years. Their participation highlights the growing adoption of innovation and
technology-driven solutions across the agri-food export value chain.
The participating startups underwent a structured 120-hour export-focused acceleration programme
covering export preparedness, market access, business scaling, regulatory compliance, packaging,
branding and investor readiness. The programme also provided one-to-one mentorship, masterclasses by
industry experts and opportunities to engage with stakeholders from government institutions, industry
bodies, financial institutions, exporters and investors. These interactions enabled startups to explore
commercial partnerships, strengthen market linkages and enhance their export readiness.
As part of its international market exposure initiative, APEDA facilitated the participation of the top eight
BHARATI startups at Gulfood 2026 in Dubai, one of the world's largest food and beverage trade
exhibitions. The event provided direct access to global buyers and enabled high-value B2B engagementswith international trade stakeholders. More than 100 B2B meetings were held between startups and
international traders and importers, and product samples were showcased to prospective buyers.
Chairman, APEDA, Shri Abhishek Dev, IAS, said that the BHARATI Programme reflects APEDA's
commitment to building a future-ready export ecosystem driven by innovation, entrepreneurship and
global competitiveness. He noted that the enthusiastic response from startups across the country
demonstrates the growing strength of India's agri-food innovation ecosystem. He further stated that the
initiative aims to create a strong pipeline of export-ready enterprises capable of contributing to the growth
of India's agricultural and processed food exports.
The successful completion of the first cohort marks an important milestone in APEDA's efforts to
integrate innovation and entrepreneurship into the country's export growth strategy. The initiative is
expected to support the emergence of globally competitive startups while creating new opportunities for
value addition, market diversification and sustainable export growth.
Within three months of the commencement of the programme, startups supported under the BHARATI
initiative have demonstrated significant progress in advancing innovation-led agri-export solutions. Two
agri-tech startups collaborated to export approximately 37 MT of GI-tagged Jardalu mangoes to Dubai,
while another startup achieved the first-ever sea shipment of nutraceutical-based and botanically infused
ready-to-cook millet functional food products to Auckland, New Zealand, using millet sourced from
Karnataka-based Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
A Madhya Pradesh-based startup dealing in organic products, including pulses, millets and heritage grains,
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a leading supermarket chain in the UAE for an
export consignment. An agri-tech startup offering fruit bagging solutions, mango orchard management
services and post-harvest tools collaborated with an APEDA-registered exporter to ship approximately 5
MT of mangoes to Singapore during the current season.
A Maharashtra-based Farmer Producer Company (FPC) exported approximately 850 kg of GI-tagged fig
juice and jamun-based juice to the United States and the United Kingdom and subsequently received a
repeat order of approximately 1.25 MT from the same markets. In another significant achievement, a
Karnataka-based startup supported by a network of more than 1,600 farmers across 12 States exported 40
MT of organic products, including pulses, heritage grains and GI-tagged native rice varieties such as
Indrayani, along with 5 MT of value-added products to the UAE and European Union markets, with
projected exports exceeding 40 MT to the United States, European Union and UAE markets over the next
one to two months.
In addition, a Kerala-based startup has received an order for millet-based products from Oman.
Negotiations are underway for several other startups involving products such as makhana for the Dubai
market and ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products for the Japanese and Cameroonian markets, among
others. Furthermore, a Madhya Pradesh-based startup has expanded its domestic market presence through
quick-commerce and e-commerce platforms, along with a retail footprint spanning 100 stores across
multiple States in India.
The successful outcomes achieved by startups under the BHARATI initiative underscore the programme's
role in accelerating export-oriented innovation and strengthening India's agri-food export ecosystem.
Building on the success of the inaugural cohort, APEDA will soon launch the next edition of the
BHARATI Programme to further expand support for startups developing innovative solutions for the agri-
food export sector. APEDA remains confident that the initiative will continue to create new opportunities
for innovation, value addition and sustainable growth while contributing to the long-term expansion and
diversification of India's agricultural and processed food exports.
***Abhijith Narayanan/ Garima Singh/ Ishita Biswas
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