Ajay Bhagat
‘Udhampur-Doda-Kathua’ Parliamentary Constituency is the only Constituency in India having three centrally funded medical Colleges and the best infrastructure located in this constituency making it the best Constituency in India with the state-of-the-art health care facilities. This constituency has earned its name in India and in the world as the birthplace of ‘Purple Revolution’ which has given rise to more than 3000 Agri-tech Start-ups not only in J&K but across the country.
What is Purple Revolution?
* It 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 have begun lavender cultivation in the Doda district (Bhadarwah) 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.
Products:
* The main product is Lavender oil which sells for at least Rs. 10,000 per litre
* Lavender water, which separates from lavender oil, is used to make incense sticks.
* Hydrosol, which is formed after distillation from the flowers, is used to make soaps and room fresheners.
Significance:
* It is significant since it aligns with the government’s objective of doubling agricultural earnings by 2022.
* It would provide a livelihood for aspiring farmers and agri-entrepreneurs, as well as strengthen the Start-Up India programme and encourage an entrepreneurial spirit in the region.
* Over 500 young people benefited from the purple revolution, which eventually led to the doubling of their income.
* Agricultural development is one of the most powerful tools to end economic constraints, boost shared prosperity and feed a projected 9.7 billion people by 2050.
Since 2007 onwards, lavender farming has been introduced in Kashmir and parts of Jammu. Lavender farming is now done in all of J&K’s 20 districts. Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Srinagar, Pulwama, Kupwara, Bandipora, Budgam, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Kulgam and Baramulla districts, in particular, have made significant headway in this direction. After the success of Phase I, the CSIR has started Phase-II, which will include over 45,000 skilled human resources and help over 75,000 families. According to officials, the climate of J&K is highly conducive for lavender cultivation as this plant can grow in cold temperatures and moderate summers. Hundreds of farmers in Bhaderwah area of Doda district in J&K have taken to lavender cultivation, which is rewarding in terms of much better returns and low upkeep.
The Bhaderwah area the birth place in the mountainous Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing the ‘purple revolution’, with farmers deriving considerable economic benefits from it. From 10 kanals in 2012, lavender cultivation in the region has increased to about 4000 kanals of land in just about a decade, with farmers giving up traditional farming of maize and other grains in its favour. Bharat Bhushan, who started lavender cultivation in his farm in 2010, is among the first farmers who switched over from traditional maize farming to lavender farming in Bhaderwah said, “I started with two kanals of land in 2010.
I got four times more profit from lavender farming than the traditional maize cultivation and gradually, I converted my entire 10 kanals farm land into a lavender farm,” he said. Encouraged by his rising income, Bhushan spread the message of lavender farming to others. “Slowly, it began picking up in the region, which is conducive for it due to the cold climate”, he said. The lavender flowers grow in temperate areas and are drought-resistant.
According to Bhushan, till 2016, only over a dozen farmers in Bhaderwah were into lavender farming now there are 2000-2500 farmers engaged. As per the Director Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) Jammu and Kashmir Dr. Zabeer Ahmed (Son of Soil) said, that Lavender was introduced in the temperate regions of Jammu division under CSIR-Aroma Mission in 2017. Dr. Zabeer also said that now under the able guidance of Union Minister Dr. Jatindra Singh, IIIM will break the previous record in upcoming years and achieve the targets in more areas like Kishtwar, Padder, Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Rajouri, Srinagar, Pulwama, Kupwara, Bandipora, Budgam, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Kulgam and Baramulla. Aroma Mission was extended for three years in 2020 and has been further extended by three more years from March 2023. 2000- 2500 farmers in Bhaderwah are engaged in lavender farming and about 4000 kanals of land are under lavender cultivation.
Also PM Modi has mentioned the ‘purple revolution’ in Bhaderwah in ‘Mann Ki Baat’.
(The author is Assistant Engineer in JKPDD)
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