Festival on aromatic plants of Kashmir to create awareness of its potential in income generation

A six- day festival meant to highlight the potential of indigenous aromatic and medicinal plants of the scenic state in income generation, concluded here today.

The festival held in the premises of the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine was named the 'Kashmir Lavender Festival', which brought together farmers, traders and industrialists in the business of aromatic products made out of plants like lavender, rose and rosemary.

Director of the Institute, Dr. Vishwakarma, said that the aim of the festival was to generate awareness on the market value of these plants that exist nowhere else in the country and the employment opportunities that exist in this business.

"Farmers should know the value of Kashmir-based aroma plants. The industrialists should know about the technology and value addition. Industrial culture should develop based on aroma products of Kashmir valley. This is the aim. This is a huge opportunity for Jammu and Kashmir. These plants that exist here exist nowhere else. The value for them in the international market will be very good. It can lead to employment generation. Young people will get opportunities. This is only the beginning,"said Dr. Vishwakarma.

Participants at the festival saw this as a great opportunity for future growth.

"This is a good step that is already happening in foreign countries and is happening for the first time in India. We will get other opportunities in the future as well. People will get aware, tourism will be developed and this trade of medicinal aromatic plants will get boosted," said a participant,Hamid.

The event also featured guided tours of farms, a demonstration of the technologies used to create products along with a landscape painting workshop.