Drought-prone Wanaparthy in Telangana and terror-hit Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir are witnessing an aroma revolution. Eight labs, including Hyderabad-based Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) regional node, are part of the ‘aroma mission’. Lavender is being cultivated in Kashmir, while farmers grow lemongrass in thousands of hectares in Telangana.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) director general Shekhar C Mande told TOI, “Places like Pulwama and Kupwara are witnessing a purple revolution with the cultivation of lavender. We have been importing aromatic oils and flowers on a large scale. Aroma mission is aimed at reducing imports.”

He said CIMAP Lucknow and its regional centre in Hyderabad were actively involved in the mission. “While CSIR-IIIM Jammu is involved in supplying lavender in Kashmir, CIMAP supplies lemongrass to farmers,” he added.

CIMAP-Hyderabad scientists said they have been cultivating lemongrass as the agro-climate in the Deccan region suits it. CIMAP-Hyderabad has been distributing lemongrass slips (Krishna variety) to the farmers of tribal hamlets like Chekuruchettu tanda in Wanaparthy district. V Mothibai, a beneficiary farmer of aroma mission hailing from Chekuruchettu tanda gram panchayat, said: “We have been facing water shortage and crop losses. After the introduction of lemongrass, we are witnessing profits.”

Currently, India imports 182 tonnes of lemongrass oil annually. Initially, the target of aroma mission was only 5,500 hectares, but now it has been increased multifold due to good response.

CSIR labs were also working on the suitability of different aroma crops in various agro climates, process technologies to extract oil, toxicity evaluation and economic viability analysis.

CIMAP-Hyderabad has developed wide yielding varieties of economically important medicinal and aromatic plants with export potential and aims to transform wastelands and drylands into eco-friendly, profitable green herbal farms.

Apart from Wanaparthy, tribal farmers of East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts in Andhra Pradesh cultivate citronella, lemongrass, yarrow root and long pepper under rainfed conditions. Small and marginal farmers of drought-prone Anantapur district produce winter cherry under rainfed conditions, partially replacing traditional groundnut