Srinagar, June 28: Lavender cultivation is steadily gaining ground in the remote border villages of north Kashmir’s Uri sub-division, emerging as a promising alternative cash crop and offering fresh hope of enhanced incomes for local farmers.
Introduced under the Jammu and Kashmir government’s Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), the aromatic crop has begun transforming unused dry land into productive farms, with the Agriculture Department hopeful of the positive response from local growers.
Officials in the Agriculture Department said lavender cultivation was launched in 2023 under the HADP’s Aromatic and Medicinal Plants initiative at two locations in Uri – Sultandaki and Trikanjan Farms in Boniyar. Around 10 kanals of land have been brought under cultivation at each site.
“We have started cultivating lavender at these two farms as the crop requires comparatively less water and thrives in hilly and dry terrains,” an Agriculture Department official said.
The crop entered its first harvesting season last year, during which nearly four litres of lavender oil were extracted from the two farms. Officials said the department has now established its own Primary Processing Unit (PPU), a move expected to significantly increase production while reducing costs for farmers.
“Earlier, lavender flowers had to be taken outside Uri for oil extraction.”
The newly established PPU is equipped with an oil extraction facility, greenhouse and cold storage, creating an integrated infrastructure for processing and preserving lavender produce.
With improved facilities now available, the department expects oil production to rise substantially this season.
“We are hopeful of extracting between 10 -15 litres of lavender oil this year,” the official said.
Lavender oil, widely used in the perfume, cosmetics and wellness industries, fetches around Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 per litre, making it a high-value crop for farmers. The plant is particularly suitable for rain-fed and dry land areas due to its low water requirement.
According to the department, the planting season begins from August till November and the second planting season starts from March, while harvesting takes place during June and July.
Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO) Uri, Mushtaq Ahmad Allaie, said the first harvest itself demonstrated the economic potential of the crop.
“We earned nearly Rs one lakh during the first harvesting season. With better infrastructure and higher production this year, we expect even better returns. Our aim is to encourage more farmers to adopt lavender cultivation, which can play a significant role in doubling their income,” Allaie said.
Officials believe that the success of the pilot farms could pave the way for large-scale cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants across Uri’s border villages, providing farmers with a sustainable and profitable alternative to conventional agriculture.
