Ganderbal, June 18: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday inaugurated the Lavender Festival at the Model Floriculture Centre (MFC), Nunar, Ganderbal, and laid the foundation stone for several agriculture infrastructure projects aimed at promoting medicinal and aromatic plants and enhancing farmers' incomes.

Addressing farmers, growers and local residents, the Chief Minister said lavender cultivation has emerged as a promising high-value crop in Jammu and Kashmir, offering sustainable income opportunities and resilience against changing climatic conditions. He encouraged farmers to adopt lavender cultivation on a larger scale, highlighting its potential for value addition through essential oil extraction, employment generation and rural tourism.
Omar Abdullah said the picturesque lavender fields of Ganderbal have the potential to become a major attraction for tourists travelling to Sonamarg, creating new livelihood opportunities for local communities. He announced that the Lavender Festival would become a regular event in the coming years.
The Chief Minister also stressed the need to reduce excessive dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides and promote sustainable farming practices to preserve soil health and ensure long-term agricultural productivity.
Highlighting the government's Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), he said substantial investments are being made to modernize agriculture through improved infrastructure, mechanization, value-addition facilities and promotion of high-value crops.
On the occasion, Omar Abdullah laid the foundation stone of a Post-Harvest Infrastructure Project for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants at Nunar, being established under HADP and NABARD funding at a cost of ₹538.23 lakh.
The project includes an FPO Park with office and storage facilities, processing and e-marketing infrastructure, transportation facilities, a distillation unit, quality control laboratory, shade-net structures and other facilities aimed at strengthening cultivation, processing and marketing of medicinal and aromatic plants.
The Chief Minister also reviewed infrastructure developed at the centre under NABARD-supported projects, including a germplasm centre, irrigation facilities, farm mechanization support and essential oil distillation units.
During the event, sanction letters were distributed among beneficiaries under various agriculture and allied sector schemes. Assistance was provided for hi-tech poly houses, dairy units, common facilitation centres and breed-based farms, while tractors were handed over under government-supported mechanization initiatives.
Reaffirming his government's commitment to strengthening agriculture as a profitable sector, Omar Abdullah said every region of Jammu and Kashmir would benefit from modern agricultural interventions and development initiatives.
Referring to road widening works in Ganderbal, he acknowledged concerns of affected shopkeepers and assured that their issues would be addressed through a fair and humane rehabilitation mechanism.
Agriculture Minister Javid Ahmad Dar highlighted the role of HADP in promoting medicinal and aromatic crops such as lavender and said the department was working to transform the socio-economic condition of farmers through diversification and innovation.
Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani also addressed the gathering and emphasized the government's focus on infrastructure development, technology adoption and farmer-centric policies.
Farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, scientists from SKUAST-Kashmir, officials and schoolchildren participated in the festival. Earlier, the Chief Minister visited exhibition stalls showcasing lavender cultivation, essential oil extraction, value-added products and innovations in agriculture and floriculture.
Congratulating the people of Ganderbal on the successful event, Omar Abdullah expressed confidence that the festival would further strengthen the district's identity as a hub of agricultural innovation, floriculture and rural tourism.