PULWAMA, Mudasir Maqbool (KIMS) — The 2026 lavender harvesting season was inaugurated at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM) Field Station in Bonera, Pulwama, on Saturday by Director Dr. Zabeer Ahmed in the presence of scientists, farmers, entrepreneurs and officials.
The event highlighted the institute’s ongoing efforts to promote medicinal and aromatic crops in Jammu and Kashmir under the CSIR Aroma Mission, with lavender cultivation emerging as a profitable alternative to conventional farming in several parts of the region.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed said the Bonera Field Station serves as a centre for scientific research, field demonstrations and technology transfer in medicinal and aromatic plants.
He said the station has played an important role in connecting laboratory research with practical farming by introducing improved cultivation practices and quality planting material suited to the region’s agro-climatic conditions.
He said the station is working on several medicinal and aromatic crops, including lavender, rosemary, damask rose, saffron and mint, while also focusing on value addition, essential oil extraction, post-harvest management and market-oriented farming.
Dr. Ahmed said the CSIR Aroma Mission, launched under the guidance of Union Minister for Science and Technology and Vice President of CSIR, Dr. Jitendra Singh, has encouraged the cultivation of lavender and other aromatic crops in Jammu and Kashmir, providing farmers with additional income opportunities and supporting rural livelihoods.
He added that scientific interventions by CSIR-IIIM have helped farmers improve productivity through standardized cultivation practices, quality planting material and modern distillation techniques, resulting in better yields and improved-quality essential oils.
Interacting with media persons, Dr. Ahmed said the Bonera Field Station is also supporting entrepreneurship by providing technical assistance, skill development programmes, incubation support and market linkages for enterprises based on essential oils, herbal products, natural fragrances and other bio-based products.
He further said the field station contributes to the implementation of several national programmes related to medicinal and aromatic crops, floriculture, phytopharmaceuticals, bioresource conservation and climate-smart agriculture in Jammu and Kashmir.
Scientist In-charge of the Bonera Field Station, Dr. Shahid Rasool, said the centre continues to demonstrate modern agricultural technologies under field conditions before they are transferred to farming communities.
He said the objective is to equip farmers with practical knowledge, promote sustainable farming practices and encourage the establishment of agri-based enterprises in rural areas.
Officials said the lavender fields at Bonera reflect the expansion of aromatic crop cultivation under the CSIR Aroma Mission and have contributed to employment generation, rural livelihoods and the cultivation of high-value medicinal and aromatic crops in Jammu and Kashmir. — (KIMS)