Context

Significant boost in Lavender production has made Atmanirbhar Bharat, a reality in Doda district of Jammu.  Around 500 farmers across villages in the district had their incomes quadrupled after shifting from maize to lavender cultivation which is being called purple revolution. 

The success became possible due to initiatives taken under Aroma Mission.

About

• A Mediterranean native, Lavender(Lavandula spica) is an aromatic and herbal shrub.
• Highly perfumed and beautiful flowers of the plant come in a variety of colors, for example, violet, blue, pink, mauve, and white can prove an excellent addition to your garden decor.
• The plant is perennial and requires a dry and sunny climate to grow. It is usually cultivated in regions with less rainfall.
• The soil for growing these plants needs to be well-draining and rich in calcium carbonate content. 

Lavender producing States

• At present, large-scale lavender cultivation is limited to J&K but governments in Himachal Pradesh, Arunahal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are also encouraging their farmers to take up lavender.
• Small scale farming of the plant is already underway in these states.

Aroma Mission

• In 2016, the Centre launched Aroma Mission to boost cultivation of plants like lavender, rosemary and lemon grass and medicinal plants like ashwagandha and satavar which have aromatic medicinal properties. 
• The state of Jammu and Kashmir was chosen for the implementation of the program, due to its peculiar climate, which is complimented by the presence of a growing market for the products of these plants, like aromatic oils.
• The mission was launched with the objective to move from imported aromatic oils to homegrown varieties.
• In February, 2021, Government announced Aroma Mission phase 2 after the success of the first phase.
• The mission is to increase lavender cultivation to 1,500 hectares within three years from now.

Significance

• Increase in income: Lavender oil sells for at least Rs 10,000 per litre, which lead to significant increase in farmer’s income.
• Women empowerment: Apart from increasing farm incomes, lavender cultivation also provided employment to the district’s women farmers.