Farmers in Kashmir Embrace Lavender Farming to Reduce Risks

Anantnag: In the far-off South Kashmir village called Sirhama, a narrow dirt road leads into a vast land stretch frequented by agriculturists and tourists these days. The air is fresh and fragrant, and the hum of bees is steady in the field dotted by purple bouquets of English lavender. 

The farmers are excited about the new crop introduced recently in the region. Their numbers are growing as more and more people are turning to lavender farming. Ghulam Mohammad, a farmer from Bijbehara, has recently developed an interest. 

“I look forward to using some of my land for lavender cultivation. It is a safer crop with better returns,” he says. A friend of the 55-year-old farmer told him to put some of the fallow lands Mohammad owns into use, and he agreed. 

Photo by Anees Zargar.

Dr Anjum Rashid, Floriculturist, Department of Agriculture Kashmir, said there were about 55 hectares of land under lavender cultivation with total oil production of 215 litres in the Union Territory. 

“With the department's intervention (agriculture), the lavender area has increased to more than 100 hectares. Also, lavender oil production increased many folds,” she told NewsClick. 

Dr Rashid says that the lavender has benefited the farmers as it is drought resistant and can be grown in marginal and rain-fed areas on Karewas and undulating lands. Karewas formations, or highlands of Kashmir, are also known for Saffron cultivation.  

“Once established, it can be productive for 10 to 15 years. It is a cash crop used to extract lavender oil and aerosol and can be used in cushions as dried flowers,” Dr Rashid said. 

Lavender, an aromatic perennial shrub used in medicines, perfumery and cosmetic products, is grown on Sirhama farm on over 150 Kanals (1 Kanal= 505.8 Sq.mt) of land. Following the harvest, the flower is processed into lavender oil which can fetch about Rs 10,000 per litre. The Department of Agriculture has a processing plant in Srinagar. 

The returns are not as good as in apple farming, the main product on which most Kashmiri farmers depend. Still, lavender is one of the main value additions that can “benefit the farmers” economically. The Horticulture sector, the backbone of the region’s economy, contributes about 8% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generates more than eight and a half crore man-days annually. 

Photo by Anees Zargar.

The total area under Commercial Floriculture in the region is 191.08 Ha, and the flower growers have been able to generate income (during 2021-22) of Rs. 19.75 crore, according to official statistics. Following the trend, hundreds of farmers in Jammu’s picturesque Bhaderwah have given up growing maize for lavender and are profiting from it.   

Little known until recently, lavender farming was propelled in the region under the ‘Aroma Mission or Purple Revolution’ launched in 2016 by the Union Ministry of Science and Technology through the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) Aroma Mission.

Shabir Ahmad Bhat, who is in charge of the Sirhama lavender farm, told NewsClick that there are more than two lakh stalks in the fields expected to be ready by November. 

“A lot of people come here to enquire about lavender farming. There has been an increase since the last few years as more and more people are approaching us,” Bhat said.   

The farm was established in 2006, and since then, Bhat adds, they have been increasing the land use yearly. Last year, the lavender was grown on additional 20 Kanals; this year, it will be expanded to 40 Kanals. 

For now, the major challenge for the farmers is the lack of a market, which Dr Rashid agrees needs to be explored, aligning it with the market chain and linking it with the national and international aroma market.