SRINAGAR: Prof. Nazeer Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-Kashmir accompanied by Prof. P.L.Gautam (Chairman PPV&FRA), Dr. Rajbir Singh (Director, ICAR-ATARI, Zone-I, Ludhiana), Prof. Mushtaq Ahmad (Director Extension, SKUAST-K), Er. Abdul Rahim (Head PME & Business Development, CSIR-IIIM), Prof. J.S. Mahal (Director Extension, PAU, Ludhiana), Prof. Arvind Kumar (ATARI, Ludhiana) and Dr. Shahid Rasool (Coordinator Aroma Mission & Project K-5000) made an extensive visit on 27-06-2019 to the different production sites of Lavender in frontier district of Kupwara developed under Aroma Mission & Project K-5000.
The visiting team inaugurated the first harvest of the lavender crop & its distillation at Kupwara. The team also interacted with the farmers from Budgam, Ganderbal &Kupwara who have been covered under the two flagship programmes for production of high-value aromatic crops like Lavender, Rose, Clarysage, Wild Marigold & other such crops.
Lavender is being grown over an area of around 1000 kanals across different parts of the valley under the Mission. Prof. Nazeer while interacting with the farmers impressed upon the importance of production of high-value aromatic crops like Lavender, owing to the agro-climatic suitability and tremendous scope for its marketing nationally and internationally.
He also congratulated the farmers for their first harvest and the team involved in implementation of the Mission. Prof. P.L Gautam emphasized the importance of fragrant crops like Lavender in enhancing the habitat of insect pollinators like honey bees and conservation of the beneficial insect biodiversity.
Pertinent to mention Aroma Mission involving production of region specific high value aromatic crops is being implemented in the Valley and Ladakh jointly by CSIR-IIIM & SKUAST-K.