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The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has successfully concluded the first cohort of the BHARATI Programme, a flagship initiative aimed at promoting innovation and strengthening India's agri-food exports.

About BHARATI Programme

BHARATI (Bharat's Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Innovation) is a flagship startup acceleration programme launched by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). The programme seeks to promote innovation-driven growth in India's agri-food export ecosystem by supporting technology-based startups working across the agriculture, food processing, and export value chains.

Designed as an export-focused incubation initiative, BHARATI aims to nurture 100 agri-food startups and contribute towards achieving USD 50 billion worth of exports in APEDA-scheduled products by 2030. Rather than replacing existing incubation programmes, it complements government and industry-led initiatives by helping startups become export-ready and globally competitive.

The programme is aligned with flagship national initiatives such as Atmanirbhar Bharat, Vocal for Local, Digital India, and Start-Up India.

Key Features

The BHARATI Programme focuses on promoting innovation in high-value export segments, including:

• GI-tagged agricultural products
• Organic foods
• Superfoods
• Novel processed Indian agri-food products
• Livestock products
• AYUSH products

A major emphasis is placed on the adoption of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) for quality control, blockchain for product traceability, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled cold chain management, and agri-fintech solutions. The programme also encourages innovations in sustainable packaging, logistics, and compliance with international sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

Addressing Export Challenges

BHARATI seeks to develop practical solutions to several bottlenecks affecting India's agri-food exports, including:

• Product development and value addition.
• Quality assurance and certification.
• Post-harvest losses and perishability.
• Supply chain and logistics inefficiencies.
• Export compliance and market access.

To achieve this, the programme creates a collaborative ecosystem connecting agri-food startups, technology providers, exporters, research institutions, and startups specialising in Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) standards.

Programme Structure

Selected startups undergo a three-month acceleration programme, during which they receive mentorship and support in areas such as:

• Product development.
• Export readiness.
• Regulatory compliance.
• International market access.
• Business scaling and investor engagement.

The programme equips startups with the knowledge and capabilities required to develop globally competitive export-oriented products.