BHARATI Initiative

Prelims – Current events of National and International importance| Economic and Social Development.

Why in News?

Recently, Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry launched the BHARATI initiative during the Food & Beverages Sector Stakeholders Meeting.

BHARATI – Bharat’s Hub for Agri tech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement.
Launched by – The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Objectives – To empower 100 agri-food and agri-tech startups, accelerate their journey.
To promote innovation and create new export opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
To achieve 50 billion dollars in agri-food exports for its scheduled products by 2030.
Features – It enhances industry and government-led incubation programmes in the agriculture, food and food processing sectors.
Driving Innovation - It seeks to drive innovation in high-value categories such as GI-tagged agri-products, organic foods, superfoods, novel processed Indian agri-foods, livestock products and AYUSH products.
Promoting Startups - It attracts startups working on advanced technologies such as AI-based quality control, blockchain-enabled traceability, IoT-enabled cold chains and agri-fintech.
It addresses critical areas like innovative packaging, sustainability and sea protocols.
Addressing Challenges - It seeks to resolve export challenges related to product development, value addition, quality assurance, perishability, wastage and logistics.

Pilot cohort – The inaugural pilot cohort will empower 100 startups, including high-value agri-food producers, technology-driven service providers and innovators.
It will serve as a model for a scalable annual incubation programme, driving continuous innovation and long-term export growth.
Collaborative ecosystem – It will connect agri-food innovators, tech-driven solution providers and Sanitary & Phytosanitary - Technical Barriers to Trade (SPS-TBT) focused startups to deliver scalable, cost-effective solutions.
It work together with State agricultural boards, agricultural universities, premier institutions like IITs and NITs, industry bodies.
Selection Process – It process beginning September 2025 through the APEDA website to shortlist 100 startups for the export enablement programme.

Quick Facts

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).

It is a statutory body established by the Government of India.
Act – The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act passed by the Parliament in December, 1985.
Functions - APEDA is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion and development of scheduled products such as Fruits, Vegetables and their Products, Meat Products, Poultry Products, Dairy Products, etc.
Development of industries relating to the scheduled products for export by way of providing financial assistance
Fixing of standards and specifications for the scheduled products for the purpose of exports
Registration of persons as exporters of the scheduled products on payment of such fees as may be prescribed.

Reference

PIB| BHARATI Initiative.