Latest news with #LavenderFestival2025
Deccan Herald
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
A quaint J&K town is turning purple with prosperity thanks to lavender culture
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who inaugurated the Lavender Festival 2025 in Bhaderwah, called the town the Lavender Capital of India and the birthplace of the country's 'Purple Revolution'.
NDTV
05-06-2025
- Health
- NDTV
A Purple Revolution Is Brewing In J&K's Town, Thanks To Lavender Culture
Bhaderwah: A six-hour drive from Jammu leads to the quiet hilly town of Bhaderwah, which is blanketed in purple this time of year, thanks to the sea of lavender spread across the town, giving a new identity to the place. From using lavender in traditional Dogri embroidery to making essential oils, beauty products and food syrups infused with this flowering plant, Bhaderwah, once known for its maize fields, is embracing lavender to bring about an economic transformation to their small town. Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who inaugurated the Lavender Festival 2025 in Bhaderwah, called the town the Lavender Capital of India and the birthplace of the country's 'Purple Revolution'. The Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), under CSIR, introduced the aromatic flower to the temperate areas of Jammu through the Aroma Mission, following earlier trials in Kashmir in the 1980s and 1990s. The seeds were first planted in 2017 when farmers in Bhaderwah, the small town in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, decided to experiment with lavender, a crop previously unheard of in the region, CSIR-IIIM Director Zabeer Ahmad told PTI. Many farmers gave up traditional crops like paddy and maize, which were being increasingly destroyed by monkeys and other animals. "Back then, monkeys used to destroy our maize crops. The lavender's strong scent keeps them away," Ahmad said, adding that this crop has given them peace, income, and purpose. Arjun Raina, founder of Ridayu Botanics and CEO of Girdharilal Holistics (Kisan Udyami), told PTI that he started lavender farming with his grandfather Girdharilal in 2017 when he was just in Class 10. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when demand for natural and medicinal products surged, the idea took shape. "Last year, I began focusing on value addition and started making more from this flower rather than just growing it. We developed products like soaps, bath salts, shampoos, and food syrups for coffee lattes, mocktails, and cocktails," he said. Singh, who represents the Udhampur parliamentary constituency, which also covers Doda, said, "Lavender has not just added fragrance to these mountains, it has added identity, income, and inspiration." He noted that young entrepreneurs are now earning an average of Rs 65 lakh annually through value-added lavender products. Stating that Bhaderwah's transformation has been both cultural and economic, Singh said, "What started as a risk has grown into a revolution, often called the Purple Revolution." Singh also credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat address, where the lavender mission was highlighted, for putting Bhaderwah on the national map. Highlighting how the lavender culture has brought new opportunities for the people in the town, Singh pointed out that farming was not the only option anymore for a lot of people here. "This small town, once known for the migration of its youth, is now seeing many return, as the initiative has become a hub of employment, especially for women," he said. The government has provided free lavender saplings, oil distillation units, and end-to-end support from cultivation to marketing, bringing about a transformation in the lives of the locals here. Fatima, a 39-year-old farmer, shared, "I belong to a family where everyone is into farming. My father was a farmer, and my husband is a farmer. Now he has switched to lavender farming." She recalled their initial apprehension about this change, saying, "When he first decided to take it up, we were scared because we had no idea how it would turn out. But now, while my husband handles the farming, I create candles and incense sticks using lavender oil." She noted that lavender is gradually becoming an integral part of Bhaderwah's cultural heritage. "Just like Dogri traditions where makhmali (velvet) was used in traditional embroidery, lavender is now being imprinted in designs and even incorporated into traditional khadi," she said. According to the farmers of Doda district, who are growing lavender under the Union government's Aroma Mission, the unconventional farming of aromatic plants has helped them become 'atmanirbhar'. 2017 was the turning point when a large number of farmers began cultivating lavender in the valley, officials say. Families in the region are ecstatic with their youth returning home from cities, drawn by the potential of this new crop. The younger generation is not only assisting on the farms but also bringing fresh ideas and exploring innovative ways to add value to the lavender-based products. Lavender was introduced to the temperate regions of the Jammu division by IIIM under the CSIR-Aroma Mission. The institute initially tried to popularise it in Doda, Kishtwar, and Rajouri districts. Finding a suitable cold climate and favourable growing conditions, a few small and marginal farmers in the Bhaderwah region took the risk and switched to lavender cultivation in 2017. Until then, maize was their primary crop. Singh said things have changed for the better, as the new generation and entrepreneurs are happily working in lavender fields. "This not only provides them with a chance to multiply their income but also helps them generate employment for others." The minister further pointed out how the government is providing complete assistance, including funding, technology and marketing, to the farmers associated with lavender so they do not face any problems at any stage. The CSIR-Aroma Mission has been instrumental in promoting lavender cultivation in the temperate regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Its primary goal is to increase the income of small and marginal farmers and support the growth of agriculture-based startups, officials added.
United News of India
02-06-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Bhaderwah in terrorist-infested Doda district of J and K turning into Lavender cultivation hub
New Delhi, June 2 (UNI) Bhaderwah town in terrorist-infested Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a 'fragrant revolution' from obscurity to Lavender production 'adding fragrance" to the hills with young entrepreneurs involved in Lavender cultivation and earning over Rs 65 Lakh annually. Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, while inaugurating a two-day Lavender Festival 2025 in Bhaderwah, said Lavender had given the small town a national identity and also a national role in India's economic growth, an official spokesman here said. He also addressed skepticism around India's economic resilience amid aggressive defence postures. 'Despite challenging times and operations like Operation Sindoor, India's economy has not only remained buoyant but also grown. That is a fitting reply to skeptics,' he asserted. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had boosted the Startup Movement and introduced Bhaderwah's Purple Revolution to the world through a detailed mention in his 'Mann Ki Baat'. 'When the Prime Minister dedicated nearly ten minutes in his 'Mann Ki Baat' to talk about this Lavender mission in detail, it gave the best possible global introduction to Bhaderwah — one that we couldn't have imagined,' Dr. Jitendra Singh said. Fifty distillation units were operational in Bhaderwah, supplying Lavender products to Maharashtra and other states, he said, lauding the Agri-Startup model of Lavender farming as a transformative force that has rewritten the narrative of entrepreneurship in remote and hilly terrains. The model has not only attracted attention from neighbouring states like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, but also from the North-Eastern states. 'Bhaderwah, once a quiet hilly town, is now a beacon of India's rural startup revolution. Lavender has not just added fragrance to these mountains—it has added identity, income, and inspiration.' 'This single mission has answered multiple challenges,' Dr Jitendra Singh said, adding 'it busted the myth that startups are limited to IT or require foreign degrees. Our youth in Jammu and Kashmir, in collaboration with CSIR-IIIM, have shown that passion, perseverance, and learning can build sustainable ventures rooted in agriculture.' He said young entrepreneurs in Bhaderwah are earning an average of Rs 65 lakh annually through lavender cultivation and value-added products, motivating many others to leave conventional jobs and pursue farming as a lucrative business opportunity. 'This is a new paradigm the world is witnessing -- a rural, agriculture-based startup revolution that is both scalable and sustainable,' he said. He said sectors like Lavender cultivation would further fuel India's rise. These unexplored areas, when empowered, would become pillars of value addition and employment generation. UNI RB SSP
United News of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Aroma Mission: Over 50 distillation units installed in J&K, Jitendra to inaugurate Lavender Fest on June 1: Official
Jammu, May 28 (UNI) Ahead of two-day Third Lavender Festival being hosted by the CSIR-IIIM Jammu at Bhaderwah on June 1 and 2, a senior official of the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu on Wednesday said that more than 50 lavender produce distillation units are installed under Aroma Mission across the Jammu and Kashmir. The two days festival will be inaugurated by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on June 1 at Government Degree College, Bhaderwah along with Vice President, CSIR, DG CSIR, Directors of CSIR Labs, Industrialists, Policy Makers, Scientists, Startups and Members of Civil Society. 'Under this mission, more than 50 distillation units across J&K were installed to support local-level processing of lavender produce,' Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM here said. He revealed that the CSIR-IIIM, Jammu, is set to organize the third Lavender Festival 2025 on June 1 and 2 at the Government Degree College, Bhaderwah, in District Doda of Jammu and Kashmir to be inaugurated by the Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh. Dr. Zabeer Ahmed highlighted that this year's festival will be unique in many ways, as it celebrates the growing success of lavender cultivation under the CSIR-Aroma Mission, not only across the Jammu and Kashmir but also in extended regions such as Uttarakhand and the North-Eastern states. 'Under the CSIR-Aroma Mission, CSIR-IIIM has played a pivotal role in empowering rural communities through the cultivation of lavender by engaging over 5,000 farmers and young entrepreneurs in remote areas, providing free Quality Planting Material (QPM) and complete technological support, covering cultivation, processing, value addition, and marketing,' he revealed. Dr. Zabeer shared that Tehsil Bhaderwah has emerged as a model region under the mission, wherein farmers have sold QPM worth over ₹1 crore. Local growers have produced 1,500 kilograms of lavender oil and 93,000 kilograms of dried lavender flowers, which were successfully marketed, he said adding, 'a total business turnover of ₹10.5 crore has been recorded, highlighting the mission's substantial socio-economic impact.' The initiative has not only boosted income levels but also fostered women's empowerment, with increased participation of women in lavender farming and related enterprises, he stated. The Director said that the primary objective of the Lavender Festival is to celebrate this success and further promote agro-based entrepreneurship in aromatic crops. Several farmers who earlier practiced traditional farming have successfully transitioned to lavender cultivation, with many now running their own entrepreneurial ventures, he said. The event will bring together a diverse group of participants, including, Farmers, Scientists and Researchers, Startups and Industrialists, Policy makers and civil society representatives from across the country and the festival will also host a Agri-Startup Expo, showcasing innovations in value-added products and technologies related to lavender. 'Participation is open to start-ups, early-stage entrepreneurs, and industry stakeholders while the Lavender Festival aims to serve as a catalyst in transforming the agro-economy of the region, with potential for long-term national economic impact,' he said.
