Purple Revolution In J&K: Know How Lavender Cultivation Is Picking Up & Helping Farmers In Valley

The land of Jammu and Kashmir, traditionally known for cultivating apples, saffron, and walnuts, has come into the limelight for lavender cultivation. Lavenders are flowering plants known for their aromatic feature, grown primarily in a temperate region. It also has the potential to benefit the farmers due to its ornamental qualities and culinary herb.

In the last few years, the valley has seen a significant rise in lavender cultivation by farmers as they claim that there is a good response from buyers. According to reports, the oil extracted from the lavender flowers is fairly priced, and farmers make Rs 15,000 to 20,000 every month from one Kanal of their land. Earlier, the average income of farmers from traditional farming practices used to be around Rs 8,000 to 10,000 per month.

Many farmers in the lavender cultivation business have claimed that their field has become a tourist attraction since they started lavender cultivation. Apart from a boost to tourism in Kashmir, the monthly income of farmers has also exponentially increased over the last few years.

More Famers Joining The 'Aroma Mission'

According to officials, lavender cultivation has started in almost all the 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Initially, the initiative of the Lavender Revolution under the 'Aroma Mission' was taken by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2016 through their Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), The Print reported.

Under the initiative, the farmers were provided free saplings to plant in their farm fields, and several training sessions were conducted to educate them about the same. The initiative aimed to promote the agro-economy and move to homegrown lavender-based products rather than depending on imported products.

The farmers in the valley have expressed their happiness towards this initiative as its lavenders are highly profitable because of their demand in the aroma industry. Presently, CSIR and the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu (IIIM Jammu) supervise the 'Aroma Mission,' led by the central government's union ministry.

According to reports, more than 1,000 families practice lavender cultivation in their farmlands across the valley. Each farmer has employed five to 10 people through this cultivation, benefiting over 6,000 families. Apart from a boost in tourism and an increase in income, more women farmers are also taking part in this initiative, getting paid as much as Rs 400 to Rs 500 daily.

Also Read: World Bank Warns For Global Recession In 2023 Amid Economic Slowdown, Here's What We Know So Far