Jammu & Kashmir
Purple Revolution
- 12 Sep 2024
- 4 min read
Why in News?
The Lavender cultivation success in Jammu and Kashmir exemplifies the powerful collaboration between research institutions, industry, and youth entrepreneurship, offering a path to boost farmers' income and enhance the rural economy.
Key Points
- Aroma Mission and Lavender Cultivation:
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) launched the Jammu and Kashmir Aroma Arogya Gram (JAAG) project to promote alternative crops like medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs).
- The Aroma Mission introduced lavender cultivation to boost farmers’ income and create employment.
- Farmers received free planting material, training, and support in cultivation, processing, and marketing.
- Originating in Bhaderwah, Doda, lavender cultivation has spread to other J&K districts and states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland.
- Economic Impact:
- Over 1,300 hectares in J&K are under lavender cultivation, with significant progress in districts like Udhampur, Poonch, and Rajouri.
- Lavender farms have gained national recognition and boosted tourism, as seen in the Republic Day tableau at Kartavya Path.
- In 2024, Doda district extracted 100 kg of lavender oil and harvested 10 quintals of dry flowers, generating significant revenue for farmers.
- Agricultural Challenges in J&K:
- Agriculture employs 65% of the population and contributes 27% to J&K’s economy.
- The region faced challenges like difficult terrain, monkey menace, and poor accessibility, limiting land utilization for traditional crops (rice, maize, wheat, pulses).
- Future Prospects:
- Lavender farming opens opportunities in value-added medicinal and cosmetic products.
- The initiative is a model for rural entrepreneurship, fostering growth in India's path to becoming a developed nation.
Purple Revolution
- Purple revolution is also known as Lavender Revolution and aims to promote the indigenous aromatic crop-based agro-economy by shifting from foreign aromatics to homegrown kinds.
- First-time producers were offered free lavender seedlings as part of the goal, and those who had previously produced lavender were paid Rs. 5-6 per plant.
- The CSIR-Aroma Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM)’s Initiative has begun lavender cultivation in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir.
- Lavender farming is done in nearly all of Jammu and Kashmir’s 20 districts.
- Particularly, the districts of Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Srinagar, Bandipora, Budgam, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Kulgam, Baramulla etc. have made huge progress in this direction.
- Lavender Cultivation:
- Native to Europe, lavender was introduced in the temperate regions of Jammu & Kashmir by the CSIR Aroma Mission.
- It is a small, perennial aromatic herb shrub used in fragrance, specialty food, and alternative medicine industries.
- Propagation Methods:
- Seeds
- Rooted cuttings
- Tissue culture
- Layering
- Soil:
- Grows well in light, well-aerated soil rich in organic matter.
- Thrives in neutral to alkaline soil that is free-draining.
- Sensitive to waterlogging but can grow in poor or eroded soil.
- Rainfall:
- Performs well with an annual rainfall range between 300 to 1400 mm.
- Climate:
- A hardy temperate plant, tolerant to drought and frost.
- Prefers cool winters and cool summers with ample sunlight.
- Can be cultivated in areas with snowfall and hilly terrain.
- Applications:
- Food and flavouring
- Pharmaceutical and therapeutic uses
- Cosmetic products
- Industrial purposes
