SRINAGAR: With the Tulip Garden in Srinagar serving as a major tourist attraction, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a growing emphasis on tulip cultivation. In an ambitious move, the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), is setting up a Centre of Excellence for Tulip Cultivation at Sagam in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. This initiative aims to reduce dependence on imported tulip bulbs from the Netherlands and promote local production.
To strengthen this initiative, SKUAST-K plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of the Netherlands for collaborative development. The Jammu and Kashmir government, under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has allocated Rs 8 crore in the 2025-26 budget for the development of the Centre of Excellence.
A crucial aspect of the initiative involves the introduction of commercially viable tulip varieties among different farmer clusters. “Each cluster will be assigned a specific tulip variety for multiplication,” Dr N A Gania, SKUAST-K VC explained. SKUAST-K will then procure the bulbs from these clusters, ensuring economic benefits for farmers while generating employment opportunities and reducing import dependency.
Besides, SKUAST-K is in the process of standardising tulip multiplication technology, which is expected to take about two years. Once fully developed, the university will approach the government to establish a support system to facilitate large-scale tulip cultivation.
Dr Gania also noted that the upper reaches of Kashmir, including Gulmarg, Tangmarg, Kangan, and Shopian, have the ideal environmental conditions and soil texture for tulip cultivation. Expanding tulip farming to these areas could further boost the region’s floriculture industry and tourism sector.
Beyond Sagam, tulip cultivation is also taking root in Jammu. The Tulip Garden in Sanasar is set to welcome visitors soon, with most of its tulip flowers already in bloom. Assistant Floriculture Officer Arjun Singh Parihar highlighted that the Sanasar Tulip Garden is the largest in Jammu province, spanning 40 kanal of land and featuring approximately 1,50,000 tulip flowers across 25 varieties and colors.
Although the garden has yet to be officially opened to tourists, it has already started attracting visitors eager to admire the vibrant floral display. This new addition to Jammu’s tourism landscape will enhance the region’s appeal, drawing both domestic and international visitors.
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Field Station Bonera, Pulwama, organised a grand Tulip Show today to revitalise the floriculture sector. CSIR-IIIM has launched a strategic programme for indigenous tulip bulb production. Over one lakh tulip bulbs have been successfully cultivated on 12 kanals of land, aiming to reduce import dependency, promote domestic cultivation and foster an agritech ecosystem. The event, which saw an overwhelming response from visitors, including students and children, showcased the region’s floricultural potential and the success of scientific intervention.
CSIR-IIIM officials highlighted that this initiative aligns with the national mission of Atmanirbhar Bharat, reducing reliance on imported bulbs while creating economic opportunities for local farmers. They stressed the importance of scientific innovation in agriculture, stating that the project will pave the way for self-sufficiency in tulip production. The initiative is expected to strengthen the floriculture industry by providing new avenues for research, commercial cultivation and employment generation, contributing to the broader economic development of the sector.
Meanwhile, Kashmir’s iconic Tulip Garden in Srinagar, the largest in Asia, opened its doors to the public this week, witnessing a surge of tourists on its first day. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah inaugurated the garden, which boasts more than 17.5 lakh tulip flowers spread across 74 varieties. Many of these blooms are already at their peak, offering visitors a mesmerizing visual experience.
Nestled on 4,500 kanal of terraced land at the foothills of the Zabarwan mountain range, overlooking the serene Dal Lake, the garden remains open for four weeks each year until the tulips begin to wither. Alongside tulips, the garden also features daffodils, hyacinths, roses, ranunculi, muscaria, and iris, creating an enchanting tapestry of colors and fragrances.
