Commercial floriculture

Many experts have described Jammu and Kashmir as a future hub for the commercial floriculture activities.

Not only aromatic flowering plants like lavender have huge potential to provide better socio economic conditions for the farmers, but the other varieties of flowers will also boost their economy.

Unemployed youths and farmers register themselves under centrally sponsored schemes and started their own business in loose and cut flower production, aromatic plant cultivation, ornamental nursery and use of integrated farming for their employment and revenue generation.

Floriculture products mainly consist of cut flowers, pot plants, cut foliage, seeds bulbs, tubers, rooted cuttings and dried flowers or leaves. The important floricultural crops in the international cut flower trade are Rose, Carnation, Chrysanthemum, Gargera, Gladiolus, Gypsophila, Liatris, Nerine, Orchids, Archilea, Anthurium, Tulip, and Lilies.

Notably, cultivation of lavender as part of commercial Floriculture has changed fortunes of farmers in Jammu and Kashmir under ‘Aroma Mission or Purple Revolution’, an initiative of the Central government towards transforming lives of UT’s farmers community.

As per official data, Purple or Lavender Revolution was launched in 2016 by the Union Ministry of Science & Technology through the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) Aroma Mission. The aim of the mission is to support domestic aromatic crop-based agro-economy by moving from imported aromatic oils to home-grown varieties.