Lavender farmers in Jammu and Kashmir are bringing ‘Purple Revolution’
About ‘Purple Revolution’:
- Doda in Jammu and Kashmir is the birthplace of India’s Purple Revolution.
- The Purple Revolution or Lavender Revolution, launched by the Ministry of Science & Technology, aims to promote the indigenous aromatic crop-based agro-economy through the ‘aroma mission’ of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
- The mission aims to increase the income of the farmers and promote lavender cultivation on commercial scale. Lavender oil, which sells for, at least, Rs. 10,000 per litre, is the main commodity.
- Other popular products include medicines, incense sticks, soaps, and air fresheners.
- Lavender has been designated by the central government as a “Doda brand product” to promote the rare aromatic plant and boost the morale of farmers, entrepreneurs, and agribusinesses involved in its cultivation as part of this Aroma Mission.
- Jammu and Kashmir’s climatic conditions are conducive to lavender cultivation since the aromatic plant can withstand both chilly winters and pleasant summers.
Benefits of Purple Revolution:
- The market for lavender oil in India will expand at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 5.5 percent, while trade is expected to touch $1 billion per year.
- The cultivation of lavender is very cost-effective as it yields revenue immediately. It is a low maintenance crop, which can be used from its second year of plantation and blossoms for fifteen years.
- In its entirety, lavender production gives better returns when compared to other traditional crops.
- Modernised farming: value addition to lavender, Oil from lavender flowers and manufacturing of aromatic products thereby givens an opportunity for starting a startup and sparking entrepreneurship. This will help in creating additional employment.
- The “purple revolution” has also helped women’s empowerment in a big way- For example (Jammu and Kashmir): After harvesting season of traditional crops, they used to remain without work for five months during winters, but lavender farming has given them a new lease of life and they get round the year work in lavender fields.
About Aroma Mission:
- The CSIR Aroma Mission is envisaged to bring transformative change in the aroma sector through desired interventions in the areas of agriculture, processing and product development for fuelling the growth of the aroma industry and rural employment.
- Aroma Mission is drawing entrepreneurs and farmers from all across the country. CSIR assisted in the cultivation of 6000 hectares of land in 46 Aspirational districts across the country during Phase I. In addition, almost 44,000 employees were trained.
- The CSIR has started Phase-II of the Aroma Mission, which will include over 45,000 skilled human resources and help over 75,000 farming families.
- An additional 700 tonnes of essential oil is expected to be produced annually for perfumery, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, and use of these oils in value addition and herbal products would generate a business of at least 200 crores.
- The activities of the Mission will improve the availability of quality material on a sustainable basis for a boom in the herbal industry based on essential oils.
- The income of the farmers through such cultivation is expected to increase by Rs. 30,000 to 60,000/ha/year. About 45,000 skilled human resources capable of multiplying quality planting material, distillation, fractionation and value addition will be developed.
- More than 25,000 farming families would be directly benefitted and employment of more than 10-15 lakh mandays will be generated in rural areas.
- The scientific interventions made under the mission project would provide assured benefits to the growers of Vidarbha, Bundelkhand, Gujarat, Marathwada, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and other states where farmers are exposed to frequent episodes of weather extremes and account for maximum suicides.
- The mission will put a mechanism in place for timely agro-advisory, ensuring optimal productivity and fair price of the produce to the farmers and reducing the import of essential oils and enabling India to become a leading exporter of at least some essential oils.
