The history of many nations was shaped by a series of ‘Revolutions.’ In India, the Purple or Lavender Revolution is underway, marking a significant shift in agricultural practices. It originated in 2016 under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) Aroma Mission, backed by the Union Ministry of Science & Technology. Recently, the first Lavender festival was held in Bhaderwah, Jammu, marking an important moment in the Lavender cultivation journey.
The Purple or Lavender Revolution
The Lavender Revolution aims to bolster a domestic aromatic crop-based agro-economy and reduce reliance on imported aromatic oils. The main product made from lavender is its essential oil, which retails for at least INR 10,000 per litre. Lavender water, a byproduct of the oil-production process, and hydrosol, derived from distillation of the flowers, also find applications, including making incense sticks, soaps, and room fresheners.
Lavender cultivation provides employment opportunities for farmers and young entrepreneurs, particularly in remote areas of Jammu & Kashmir. This revolution has impacted approximately 5,000 individuals directly or indirectly, with over 1,000 farming families growing lavender on about 200 acres distributed across all the 20 districts of J&K.
Role in Government’s Vision for Farming
The initiative aligns with the government’s policy to double agricultural incomes by 2022. It empowers budding farmers and agri-entrepreneurs, providing them with sustainable livelihood options while boosting the Start-Up India campaign. Over 500 young people have already increased their income significantly through this initiative.
CSIR Aroma Mission: Revolutionizing Aromatic Crop Cultivation
The CSIR Aroma Mission aims to transform the aroma sector by implementing strategic actions in agriculture, processing, and product development areas. The mission’s objective is to promote aromatic crop cultivation for essential oil production to drive the growth of India’s agricultural sector and provide rural employment opportunities.
The mission also targets making Indian farmers and the aroma industry world leaders in certain essential oil production, emulating the success of menthol mint. This aim includes providing significant benefits to farmers, such as higher profits, use of waste lands, and protection of crops from wild animals.
Aroma Mission Phases: Progress and Future Plans
During its Phase-I, CSIR assisted in cultivating 6,000 hectares of land and covered 46 Aspirational districts across India, training more than 44,000 people. In February 2021, Phase-II was launched with plans to engage over 45,000 skilled human resources and benefit more than 75,000 farming families in India.
Nodal Agencies, Outcomes, and Expectations
The nodal laboratory for this mission is the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CSIR-CIMAP), located in Lucknow. The mission foresees increasing the area under cultivation of aromatic cash crops by 5,500 hectares, targeting primarily rain-fed / degraded lands across the nation.
It aims to provide technical support and infrastructure for distillation and value-addition to farmers across the country. The mission would also establish effective buy-back mechanisms to guarantee remunerative prices to farmers, augmenting the value of essential oils and aroma ingredients for global trade and economic integration.
Lavender cultivation and the broader Aroma mission are playing pivotal roles in India’s agricultural evolution, offering new opportunities for farmers and young entrepreneurs while contributing towards achieving the government’s vision of doubling farming incomes.