Purple Revolution

• 12 Sep 2024

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