India’s ambition to become a global powerhouse in agricultural and processed food exports is getting a startup push. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has launched ‘Bharati’—Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement—a flagship initiative aimed at nurturing 100 agri-food and agri-tech startups.
The announcement came on the sidelines of the Food & Beverages Sector Stakeholders Meeting, chaired by Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, in the presence of UAE’s Minister of Foreign Trade Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan.
Startups at the Heart of Export Growth
Bharati is more than an incubation programme—it is APEDA’s strategic vision to help India achieve $50 billion in agri-food exports by 2030. Beginning September 2025, the pilot cohort of 100 startups will include high-value food producers, agri-tech solution providers, and innovators in areas such as:
GI-tagged agri-products
Organic and superfoods
Novel processed Indian foods
Livestock and AYUSH-based products
But the scope goes beyond products. Bharati also seeks to attract startups working with AI-driven quality control, blockchain-enabled traceability, IoT-powered cold chains, and agri-fintech solutions—critical technologies that could transform India’s export competitiveness.
Solving Pain Points in Agri-Exports
APEDA has designed Bharati to tackle longstanding export bottlenecks: perishability, wastage, packaging gaps, quality assurance, and compliance with global food safety norms (SPS and TBT measures). By connecting innovators with exporters and policymakers, the initiative hopes to build a cost-effective, collaborative ecosystem that makes Indian agri-food products globally competitive.
A Wider Ecosystem of Support
To scale its impact, APEDA will collaborate with state agricultural boards, agricultural universities, IITs, NITs, industry associations, and existing accelerators. The selected startups will undergo a three-month acceleration program covering product development, export readiness, regulatory alignment, and international market access.
This pilot is envisioned as the template for an annual incubation programme, ensuring continuous innovation in India’s agri-export sector.
Aligned with National Priorities
Bharati ties into the government’s broader Atmanirbhar Bharat, Start-Up India, Digital India, and Vocal for Local missions. For APEDA, it represents not just an innovation hub but also a tool to create globally competitive agri-products, generate backward linkages for farmers, and fuel export-led economic growth.