It was in 1986 that the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) was set up under an Act of Parliament for development and promotion of exports of the agricultural and processed food products.

APEDA’s products under purview are - fruits, vegetables and their products, meat and meat products, poultry and poultry products, dairy products, confectionery, biscuits and bakery, honey, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cereal, groundnuts, peanuts and walnuts, pickles, papads and chutneys, guar gum horticulture and floriculture products, herbals and medical plants and rice.

APEDA has been a catalyst in the process of the transformation of Indian agriculture from a traditional subsistence-oriented activity to a modern market - oriented commercial practice. The export of APEDA- mandated agro-produce has registered an impressive growth from a level of Rs. 298.58 crore in 1986- 87 to Rs. 14,184 crore in 2003-04.

APEDA promotes exports of agro-food products through its different Schemes for infrastructure development, quality improvement, market development and Research & Development. Apart from providing financial incentives to exporters for improving their own infrastructural facilities like refrigerated transport and setting up of pre-cooling and cold storage facilities, APEDA has also set up cargo handling facilities for perishable products at different airports of the country. They are also helping the State Governments for setting up wholesale market cum flower auction centres like the ones at Bangalore, Mumbai & Noida.