Umaisar Gull Ganie
Anantnag, Mar 2: To boost tourism and floriculture in the Valley, Mountain Crop Research Station at Sagam in Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district is set to begin supplying high-quality tulip bulbs and seeds to the famed Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, Asia’s largest tulip garden.
The research station has been developed by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) on modern scientific lines over 407 kanals of land at Tangpawa Sagam.
Officials said that the special emphasis is being laid on production, breeding and research of high-quality tulip bulbs and seeds. So far, a majority of tulip bulbs have been imported from foreign markets, but the establishment of the centre is expected to ensure local availability in the coming years.
Locals said that tulip bulbs sown on a trial basis last year yielded encouraging results. This year, cultivation has been expanded across a major portion of the land. They said the station attracted a large number of visitors last year, generating employment opportunities for local youth, and expressed hope that more such projects would be introduced to promote Kashmir’s floriculture at a global level.
Dr Muhammad Ashraf, posted at the Mountain Crop Research Station, said the initiative would make tulip cultivation in Kashmir more organised and sustainable. He said India imports tulips worth Rs 300 to 400 crore annually from foreign markets.
“To reduce this dependence, the government established the research centre at Sagam, where multiple varieties of tulips are currently under cultivation,” he said.
Dr Ashraf added that an eight crore project has been approved under a scheme supported by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and construction work is underway.
“Sustained efforts are being made to minimise imports in the coming years,” he said.
Dr Mohammad Ayoub Mantoo, Professor and Head, Mountain Research Centre, Tangpawa Sagam, said that the primary objective of the centre is to maximise local seed and bulb production.
“The government has been spending an amount on importing tulip bulbs. To reduce costs, the department decided to promote in-house production, and work has been ongoing for the past two years,” he said.
Mantoo said farmers are also being guided to diversify into tulip cultivation alongside traditional crops.
The project is expected to generate new employment avenues in Anantnag district, with youth being trained in horticulture, seed production, packaging and supply.
