🌱 APEDA Launches BHARATI Initiative: A
Big Push for Agri-Food Startups, Targeting $50
Billion Exports by 2030
India’s food industry just got a massive boost! In September 2025, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) rolled out a powerful new program called BHARATI — Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement.
This initiative is not just another government scheme. It’s a startup acceleration mission designed to support 100 promising agri-food and agri-tech startups, helping them innovate, go global, and collectively drive India’s agri-food exports to $50 billion by 2030.
Imagine young entrepreneurs using AI, blockchain, and IoT to solve India’s age-old challenges in food quality, perishability, and logistics — that’s the future BHARATI wants to build.
🚀 Why the BHARATI Initiative Matters
For decades, India has been the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, but when it comes to exports, our numbers don’t match the potential. Why?
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🌾 Supply chain gaps → Products spoil before reaching global shelves
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🥭 Perishability issues → High-value crops like mangoes & GI-tagged foods lose value
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🛳️ Export compliance → Packaging, quality standards, and global protocols are tough to meet
The BHARATI initiative aims to fix these gaps by:
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Training startups to meet international export standards
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Offering 3-month acceleration programs on product development, packaging, and logistics
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Building partnerships with IITs, NITs, state agri boards, and industry leaders
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Encouraging startups to develop cutting-edge solutions like blockchain-enabled traceability, AI-based quality checks, and IoT-driven cold chains
💡 What Startups Get from BHARATI
This is not just about funding — it’s about capacity building. Selected startups will go through an intensive program covering:
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✅ Export Readiness → Meeting global food safety & quality norms
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✅ Tech Integration → Using AI, blockchain, IoT in agri-export
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✅ Market Access → Connecting directly with international buyers
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✅ Product Innovation → Value-added food products, packaging, and branding
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✅ Networking → Collaborations with government, academia & industry
Think of it as a launchpad for Indian food startups to transform from local heroes to global players.
🌍 Bigger Picture: Atmanirbhar Bharat & Global Competitiveness
BHARATI isn’t just about exports — it fits into India’s national growth story:
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🏭 Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) → Reducing dependency on imports
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💻 Digital India → Using smart tech in agriculture
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🌿 Sustainable Growth → Promoting organic, GI-tagged, and AYUSH-based products
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💼 Startup India → Empowering young founders to scale their ideas globally
If this pilot succeeds, it could evolve into an annual cycle, incubating new waves of startups every year, driving both economic growth and rural empowerment.
✨ The Human Side of BHARATI
For a young entrepreneur sitting in Mysore, Guwahati, or Ahmedabad with a food-tech idea, BHARATI could mean:
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A mentor helping refine the product
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Access to testing labs for international certifications
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A chance to pitch to foreign buyers directly
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Confidence that their local innovation could sit on supermarket shelves in Europe, USA, or Middle East
This is where policy meets people — turning ambitious dreams into sustainable businesses.
📌 Key Takeaways
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APEDA’s BHARATI Initiative launched in Sept 2025
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Goal: Empower 100 agri-food & agri-tech startups
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Target: $50 billion agri-food exports by 2030
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Focus areas: GI-tagged foods, organics, livestock, superfoods, AYUSH products
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Technologies: AI, blockchain, IoT, agri-fintech, packaging innovation
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Backed by: Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Food Processing, IITs, NITs, industry bodies
🗣️ Final Thoughts from NextGen Food Innovators
At NextGen Food Innovators, we see BHARATI as a game-changer. It’s about more than exports — it’s about building a bridge between traditional Indian agriculture and the next-gen food economy powered by startups.
If you’re a food-tech founder, student, or researcher, this is your time. Keep an eye on APEDA’s calls for applications, because the next big global food brand could be yours. 🌍🚀
✅ What’s Next?
👉 Stay tuned — we’ll be sharing application details, startup success stories, and practical guides on how you can be part of India’s agri-export revolution.
📢 If you found this article useful, share it on LinkedIn or tag a startup founder who should know about BHARATI.
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