CSIR-IIIM to hold 4th Lavender Festival in Bhaderwah on June 6-7

Ziraat Times News Desk

Jammu, May 29: The CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, will organise the 4th Lavender Festival on June 6 and 7 at Government Degree College, Bhaderwah, in Doda district under the theme “Lavender Goes Global”, highlighting the success of the Purple Revolution and lavender-based rural entrepreneurship in Jammu & Kashmir.

The announcement was made during a curtain raiser press conference at CSIR-IIIM Jammu by Director CSIR-IIIM, Dr Zabeer Ahmed, who said the festival will be inaugurated by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also Vice President of CSIR.

Dr Ahmed said the Lavender Festival has emerged as a national platform showcasing the transformation brought by the CSIR-Aroma Mission in remote Himalayan regions, particularly Bhaderwah, which has evolved into a major lavender cultivation hub under the Purple Revolution initiative.

He said the CSIR-Aroma Mission, a flagship programme of the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, implemented in Jammu & Kashmir under the mentorship of Dr Jitendra Singh and guidance of Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Director General CSIR and Secretary DSIR, has empowered rural communities through lavender cultivation.

According to Dr Ahmed, over 5,000 farmers and young entrepreneurs from remote areas have been engaged under the mission through free supply of quality planting material, cultivation support, processing, value addition and marketing assistance.

He said that during the three phases of the mission, more than 50 fixed and mobile distillation units had been installed across Jammu & Kashmir to facilitate local processing of lavender produce.

Dr Ahmed said this year’s festival will witness participation from scientists, startups, aroma industries, entrepreneurs, policymakers, agri-business stakeholders, students, progressive farmers and representatives of fragrance and wellness companies from across the country.

The festival will feature startup exhibitions, live demonstrations, buyer-seller interactions, technical sessions, farmer-industry networking and displays of value-added lavender and aromatic products developed by local entrepreneurs and startups.

Highlighting the expanding aroma sector, Dr Ahmed said CSIR-IIIM has played a pioneering role in promoting lavender cultivation in Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and the northeastern states through scientific interventions, training, entrepreneurship support and distillation technologies.

He said the initiative has benefitted thousands of farmers and young entrepreneurs while also encouraging the emergence of women-led enterprises and startups.

Dr Ahmed also referred to recent precursor events aimed at strengthening the aroma ecosystem and market linkages. These included an Aroma Buyer-Seller Meet at the CSIR Innovation Complex in Mumbai, where leading aroma and perfumery companies interacted with lavender farmers and startups from Jammu & Kashmir.

Another buyer-seller meet organised jointly by the Directorate of Ayush, J&K Medicinal Plants Board and CSIR-IIIM in Bhaderwah focused on direct farmer-industry partnerships and contract farming initiatives in the medicinal and aromatic plants sector.

“These interactions have laid the foundation for a stronger aroma-based economy in Jammu & Kashmir by connecting farmers with industries, startups and national markets,” Dr Ahmed said.

He said the Lavender Festival 2026 aims to further promote agri-based entrepreneurship, sustainable livelihoods and innovation in the aromatic crops sector.

Several startups, farmer producer organisations, self-help groups and research institutions will showcase products related to essential oils, herbal wellness, floriculture, cosmetics, organic products and aroma technologies during the festival.

The event will also host technical discussions on lavender cultivation, post-harvest management, essential oil extraction, branding, marketing and export opportunities.

Inviting people to participate in large numbers, Dr Ahmed described the festival as “a movement towards transforming the rural economy of the Himalayan region through science-driven agriculture and entrepreneurship.”

He appealed to farmers, students, startups, researchers, industry representatives, media persons and civil society members from Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and other parts of the country to attend the event.

He also invited national and regional media organisations, journalists, digital content creators and documentary filmmakers to cover the festival and document the transformation of the Himalayan rural economy through lavender cultivation and aroma-based entrepreneurship.

During the curtain raiser event, the web portal for “Lavender Festival 2026” was launched and the festival brochure was also released.

The festival is being organised under the patronage of Dr N. Kalaiselvi, Director General CSIR and Secretary DSIR, Government of India, and under the supervision of Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu, along with a team of scientists and officials.