BHADERWAH (J&K), Feb 21: In a major boost to India’s aromatic agriculture, CSIR-IIIM Jammu distributed six lakh free quality lavender seedlings to 750 farmers across Jammu & Kashmir and Uttarakhand, cementing Bhaderwah’s status as the Purple Revolution’s epicenter.
Lavender scientist Sandeep Singh Charak announced the distribution from 50 Bhaderwah nurseries – recognized as India’s lavender birthplace – targeting 350 farmers in Doda, Rajouri, Poonch alongside 400 in Uttarakhand. “The process continues; more seedlings this season,” he confirmed.
Progressive farmer Touqeer Bagban, the ‘Lavender Man of India’ who converted 2,500 maize growers, hailed CSIR-IIIM’s dual support: buying from nursery owners while gifting plants to newcomers. He credited Union Minister Jitendra Singh’s personal push, noting incomes leaped from ₹40-60k/hectare to ₹3.5-6 lakh after switching.
Charak highlighted lavender’s perfect hill-crop profile – low maintenance, drought-proof, animal-resistant, yielding 15+ years post-establishment. The programme has scaled massively, distributing 30 lakh+ plants nationwide including Himachal and Northeast states.
