JAMMU: A meeting to discuss the promotion of lavender cultivation and the enhancement of its marketing linkages was held today at the Directorate of Agriculture, Krishi Bhawan Talab Tillo.
The meeting, chaired by Director Agriculture Jammu S. Arvinder Singh Reen, brought together different stakeholders to address the current challenges and opportunities in the lavender farming sector.
Meeting was attended by Joint Director Agriculture (Extension) Satish Sharma; CAO Anil Gupta; CAO Sanjay Anand; CAO S M G Singh; CAO Ram Gopal Sharma; CAO Harbans Singh; Dr. Lalit Mohan Professor & Head, Division of Forest Production & Utilization, Faculty of Horticulture and Forestry, Ruchita Rane Head of Territory Development J&K, PARC Mumbai, Raj Kumar Technical Officer (HADP) DAJ and other officers of the Department of Agriculture Jammu. Additionally, representatives of CSIR-IIIM, members of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and lavender growers participated in the meeting via video conference.
The key focus of the meeting was the marketing linkage challenges faced by lavender growers in Jammu Division. The Director addressed the current situation, highlighting the importance of strengthening the market access for lavender crops. He emphasized the enormous potential of aromatic crops in the Jammu region due to its diverse agro-climatic conditions and underscored the importance of introducing good practices for cultivating aromatic and medicinal plants to meet international quality standards.
During his meeting, the Director highlighted that processing plants and testing laboratories will be upgraded to support the scientific cultivation of aromatic crops, including lavender. He further mentioned the establishment of a Centre of Excellence under NABARD for lavender cultivation to promote quality standards and better market linkage.
The Director Agriculture also stressed the need for organic certification in collaboration with CSIR-IIIM and PGS-India, with an emphasis on the certification of handmade products. He assured that the Department of Agriculture is committed to providing support to every grower and emphasized the importance of collaboration with FPOs and allied departments to resolve the issues facing lavender growers.
Director A.S Reen also mentioned that extraction machinery issues could be alleviated through subsidies available under the HADP Project, further encouraging lavender growers to take advantage of such schemes.
