APEDA Financial Assistance Scheme

APEDA Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS)

Scheme Introduction / Overview

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, provides financial assistance to eligible exporters to strengthen India's agricultural and processed-food exports.

APEDA's Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) is designed to address infrastructure, quality and market-development requirements of exporters. The published 2021–26 FAS framework covers three broad areas:

Development of Export Infrastructure
Quality Development
Market Development

The scheme supports creation and improvement of export-oriented infrastructure, compliance with international quality and food-safety requirements, product/market promotion and other export-development activities.

Eligibility Criteria

The primary beneficiaries under APEDA's FAS are APEDA-registered exporters, subject to the eligibility requirements of the particular component.

Depending on the activity, eligibility may also extend to:

Exporters of APEDA scheduled products
Exporter associations
Cooperatives
Government organisations
State/Central Government institutions
Public Sector Enterprises
APEDA-recognised laboratories
Certification bodies
Other entities specifically permitted under the applicable component

For example, under the export-infrastructure component, APEDA-registered exporters are eligible for specified sub-components, while Central/State Government institutions and PSUs are eligible for certain other components.

Eligible Industries / Businesses

APEDA covers agricultural and processed-food products falling within its mandate. Relevant sectors include:

Fruits and vegetables
Cereals and cereal products
Rice
Processed foods
Meat and animal products
Dairy products
Floriculture
Seeds
Cashew and other scheduled products
Organic products
Groundnuts
Millets
Alcoholic beverages
Other APEDA scheduled products

The APEDA website maintains product-specific categories and a catalogue of products covered by APEDA.

Eligible activities under FAS can include export-oriented:

Pack houses
Processing facilities
Cold-chain infrastructure
Reefer transportation
Pre-cooling units
Warehouses/cold stores
Food-processing equipment
Quality-testing equipment
Quality-management systems
Export certification/quality compliance
Packaging development
Market-development activities
Feasibility studies
Export promotion and branding

Subsidy / Financial Assistance Details

APEDA FAS does not have one common subsidy rate. Financial assistance depends on the specific component and activity.

A. Development of Export Infrastructure

Examples under the published 2021–26 guidelines include:

Activity	Assistance
Integrated Pack House & processing facilities	Up to 40%, ceiling ₹2 crore
Insulated/Reefer transport & mobile pre-cooling units	Up to 40%, ceiling ₹2 crore
Cable handling system for banana/other crops	Up to 40%, ceiling ₹2 crore
Eligible food-processing facilities addressing export gaps	Up to 40%, ceiling ₹2 crore

These activities can include collection, cleaning, washing, sorting/grading, pre-cooling, packing, cold storage and specified processing equipment.

B. Quality Development

Examples of assistance include:

Activity	Assistance
Quality-testing equipment	50%, ceiling ₹25 lakh per beneficiary
Quality management/assurance/control systems such as ISO, HACCP, BRC, GAP	50%, ceiling ₹5 lakh per beneficiary
Specialised handheld equipment for farm-level coordinates	25%, ceiling ₹2.50 lakh
Certain R&D activities for export enhancement	Up to 50%, ceiling ₹50 lakh/project for eligible private/cooperative exporter associations

APEDA also provides 100% assistance for certain activities implemented directly by APEDA or for eligible government/public-sector laboratory activities, subject to the scheme provisions.

C. Market Development

Examples include:

Packaging material support for registered exporters of specified fresh fruits & vegetables, flowers and eggs: 25%, ceiling ₹5 lakh per beneficiary per year.
Feasibility studies: 50%, ceiling ₹10 lakh per beneficiary, subject to applicable guidelines.
Indian-brand publicity: 25%, ceiling ₹50 lakh per year, subject to the applicable conditions.

APEDA also undertakes or supports exhibitions, buyer-seller meets, product promotion, delegations and other export-promotion activities under the applicable guidelines.

Maximum Subsidy / Assistance

There is no single maximum subsidy limit applicable to the entire APEDA FAS.

The ceiling depends on the individual component.

Important examples under the published FAS include:

Export infrastructure: up to ₹2 crore per eligible activity/component in specified cases.
Quality-testing equipment: up to ₹25 lakh per beneficiary.
Quality-management systems: up to ₹5 lakh per beneficiary.
R&D for export enhancement: up to ₹50 lakh per project for eligible exporter associations in the private/cooperative sector.
Packaging support: up to ₹5 lakh per beneficiary per annum.
Eligible feasibility studies: up to ₹10 lakh per beneficiary.
Indian-brand promotion: up to ₹50 lakh per year.

The actual admissible amount is determined by APEDA according to the relevant component, eligible expenditure and applicable guidelines.

Key Benefits

APEDA financial assistance can help eligible exporters to:

Establish export-oriented infrastructure.
Improve post-harvest handling.
Reduce wastage and product losses.
Strengthen cold-chain facilities.
Establish or upgrade pack houses.
Improve processing and value addition.
Purchase eligible export-oriented equipment.
Meet international quality and food-safety requirements.
Upgrade quality-testing facilities.
Implement quality-management systems.
Improve packaging standards.
Conduct eligible market and feasibility studies.
Promote Indian brands in international markets.
Participate in eligible export-promotion activities.
Improve compliance with importing-country requirements.
Increase competitiveness of Indian agricultural and processed-food exports.

APEDA states that the FAS is intended to facilitate agricultural exports through infrastructure, quality development and market development support.

Applicable Conditions

The following conditions generally apply:

The applicant must satisfy the eligibility requirements of the relevant FAS component.
APEDA registration/RCMC is required where prescribed.
The proposed activity must fall within the scope of the applicable FAS component.
Only eligible expenditure is considered for financial assistance.
The project/activity must comply with APEDA's technical and operational requirements.
Applications must be submitted in the prescribed manner and within the applicable application window.
Assistance is generally subject to scrutiny, approval and availability of funds.
The same expenditure should not be claimed for duplicate financial assistance under another government scheme where prohibited.
Supporting invoices, payment records, completion documents and other evidence may be required for reimbursement/settlement.
APEDA may prescribe additional conditions for particular products, infrastructure or export markets.

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