APEDA’s BHARATI Programme Trains 100 Startups to Scale Global Agri-Food Exports

New Delhi, Jun 25 (KNN) The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has completed the first cohort of its BHARATI programme, an export-focused acceleration initiative aimed at supporting startups in the agri-food sector.

The inaugural cohort included 100 startups from 22 states and two Union Territories, selected from more than 700 applications received nationwide. 

Participants comprised 68 agri-food product startups, 26 technology and service providers focused on export facilitation, and six startups working on areas such as traceability, quality assurance, compliance and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) solutions.

The startups underwent a 120-hour acceleration programme covering export preparedness, market access, regulatory compliance, branding, packaging, business scaling and investor readiness. 

The programme also included mentorship sessions and interactions with exporters, investors, financial institutions, industry representatives and government agencies.

As part of the initiative, APEDA facilitated the participation of eight selected startups at Gulfood 2026 in Dubai, where they engaged with international buyers and traders through more than 100 business-to-business meetings.

According to APEDA, several participating startups reported export-related outcomes during the programme. 

These included the export of around 37 metric tonnes of GI-tagged Jardalu mangoes to Dubai, the first sea shipment of millet-based functional food products to New Zealand, and export consignments of organic products, processed foods and value-added agricultural products to markets including the UAE, Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom and Oman.

The programme also supported partnerships between startups and exporters, while some participants secured export orders, commercial agreements and repeat business from overseas markets.

APEDA said the next edition of the BHARATI programme will be launched to expand support for startups developing products, technologies and services linked to agricultural and processed food exports.

(KNN Bureau)