Kashmir’s Farmers Are Swapping Apples for Lavender & Finding Profits in Purple Fields

Around 35 kilometres from Srinagar, in the heart of Pulwama’s Bonera village, a silent transformation is unfolding. In a region once known for apple orchards and saffron fields, rows of purple lavender now stretch across the land — marking the beginning of a quiet purple revolution in Kashmir’s agriculture.

These flowers are more than just a visual delight — they mark a growing shift in Kashmir’s farming landscape, as more farmers turn to lavender as a source of hope, health, and income.

Often called ‘purple gold’, lavender is thriving in the valley’s temperate climate. Once rare in the region, it is now being cultivated for its essential oil — widely used in aromatherapy to relieve stress, anxiety, insomnia, and skin conditions.

A scented shift in Pulwama

“We were once known for apples,” says Adil Khurshid, a young farmer from Pulwama. “But prices kept falling. We had orchards, but no profit. Then lavender came, and everything changed.”

Walking through his lavender fields, Adil gently brushes his hand across the blooming purple flowers. “Lavender changed that. It’s cheaper to grow and gives better returns. That’s why more farmers like me are switching.”

“Lavender cultivation is a big part of aromatic farming,” he says. “It suits our land, animals don’t eat it, and it doesn’t require the kind of investment apples do. It’s just smarter farming.”

Across Pulwama, fields once prone to wild animals and market fluctuations now bloom with lavender. Farmers say the crop demands less investment and delivers higher profits. “Compared to apples, it’s easier and more rewarding,” Adil reiterates.

At the heart of the lavender movement

At the centre of this agricultural shift lies one of the region’s largest research and development hubs for high-value crops. Spread over 60 hectares in Bonera at an altitude of 5,400 feet, the CSIR–IIIM field station — run by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR–IIIM), Jammu — plays a key role in guiding this transformation.

The station focuses on medicinal, aromatic, spice, and nutraceutical crops — helping to develop agro-technological practices, post-harvest methods, and value-added products tailored for Kashmir’s temperate climate.

The farm is intensively cultivated with plants, such as lavender, rose, rosemary, scented geranium, clary sage, artemisia, and saffron — crops valued not just for their scent and beauty but also for their applications in wellness, medicine, and sustainable agriculture. It also serves as a centre for research, training, and conservation — producing high-quality planting material and preserving high-altitude medicinal species.

Lavender oil is extracted on-site through steam distillation — a process that preserves the purity and potency of the plant’s natural compounds. The field station houses its own processing unit, where freshly harvested lavender blossoms are loaded into distillation chambers. Low-pressure steam passes through the flowers, releasing essential oils that are later cooled and condensed.

The result is two distinct products: lavender essential oil and hydrosol. While the oil is highly concentrated and used in therapeutic formulations, hydrosol — often referred to as floral water — is a gentler, water-based extract used in facial mists, toners, and skincare.

With an annual output of nearly 500 kilograms, lavender grown here is in high demand, selling at around ₹10,000 per kilogram and offering farmers a profitable alternative to traditional crops.

Institutional support and the Aroma Mission

The Government’s push to encourage agri-tech innovation is being felt at the grassroots level in Kashmir. Officials say the focus is not just on farming but on creating a larger ecosystem where young people can engage in cultivation, processing, and marketing.

“We are working to ensure that unemployed youth actively participate in crop cultivation and its value chains — including processing and marketing — so they can become an integral part of the agri-tech startup ecosystem,” says Shahid Rasool, senior scientist and in-charge of the CSIR-IIIM Field Station in Pulwama.

The Bonera field station spans approximately 1,500 kanals of land, where a range of medicinal, aromatic, and nutraceutical crops are cultivated — plants that have direct applications in industrial sectors including pharmaceuticals, personal care, and natural product manufacturing.

“Unlike traditional crops, these are classified as medicinal, aromatic, nutraceutical, or functional foods. We have also introduced new varieties of floriculture crops, such as lilies, gladioli, carnations, and gerberas, as part of our expansion,” he says.

He stressed that missions like the Aroma Mission are part of a broader effort to boost industrial agriculture and connect farmers directly to value chains. “Through CSIR, we’ve launched missions to promote industrial agriculture,” Rasool explains. “The Aroma Mission, for example, encourages the cultivation of aromatic crops across different regions. This helps farmers build value chains that produce sustainable raw materials, which are then used indigenously to develop finished products.”

In Kashmir, the Aroma Mission has identified lavender as the most suitable crop due to the region’s cooler climate. Rasool shares that the mission has gained momentum since its launch in 2017. In the plains, crops like lemongrass, mint, and roses are promoted. But in the valley, the focus is on lavender.

“In hilly areas, maize used to get destroyed by wild animals,” he adds. “But lavender, with its strong scent, naturally repels them. It’s a crop that fits both the land and the people.”

Government support has helped too. Farmers receive subsidies of ₹2000 to ₹5000 per kanal for planting material. “We even set up our own distillation unit. That increased our profits,” added a local farmer from Pulwama. “But we still need better marketing channels, as seen in Doda or Kishtwar.”

A farmer’s journey from experiment to movement

“I’ve been working with lavender since 2015 — you could say I’m emotionally connected to it now,” says Ghulam Mohiudin, a farmer from Budgam. “Back then, I spent around ₹8,000 to ₹10,000 per kanal. But once the crop bloomed, it didn’t feel like an expense at all — it was profitable.”

He adds, “I even went to Delhi to buy books and learn everything — how it’s grown, how to care for it, and all the benefits. I started with just five or six kanals, but the interest kept growing… now I farm over 50 kanals.”

What began as a personal experiment is now a movement. “Young, educated people have joined me — they’ve started marketing, packaging, and creating products. Even men and women who are unemployed can earn a livelihood through lavender farming. You can make so much — cosmetics, oils, even ayurvedic products. There’s a future in it.”

This mix of local initiative and institutional support has enabled more farmers to stay rooted in their villages, invest in small processing units, and consider farming not as survival — but as a sustainable business.

A social and cultural shift

Beyond its economic benefits, lavender has transformed the social and emotional landscape of villages like Pulwama. With their soft purple tones and soothing fragrance, the fields attract people seeking peace, natural therapy, and even a little digital glamour.

“It’s not just about how beautiful it looks — it actually feels like therapy for both the body and the mind,” says Arooj, a resident of Pulwama. “There’s something about the scent of lavender that instantly relaxes you. When we walk through these fields, we forget about our stress and feel at peace. It’s become a favourite spot for families, friends, and young people to come and unwind.”

“You’ll often see people coming here just to take pictures or shoot reels. The purple backdrop is so unique — it draws influencers and tourists too. It’s amazing how something so simple and natural can bring so much happiness,” she shares.

What began as a farming decision is now a cultural shift. Lavender has turned villages into destinations, farms into therapy spaces, and farmers into entrepreneurs.

Looking ahead

“Lavender has changed not just my livelihood, but how people see farming,” says Adil. “Now, farming looks modern. It looks smart. It smells good too!”

Looking ahead, both farmers and officials believe the lavender revolution is just beginning. “With consistent demand and better market linkages, this could transform Kashmir’s farming economy,” says Rasool. “We just need to connect farmers to buyers more efficiently and invest in distillation units and marketing strategies.”

As more fields bloom in purple and more families find peace in both scent and income, lavender is proving itself not just a profitable crop — but a symbol of Kashmir’s resilience and renewal.

All pictures courtesy Danish Showkat