Part of CSIR-IHBT Palampur’s Floriculture Mission, Spreading Blooms & Smiles Across The Region
This beautiful and captivating tulip garden spread over half an acre, with the picturesque backdrop of the Dauladhar mountain ranges in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, may not compare in size to the vast Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip garden in Srinagar, but it sure is becoming a major tourist attraction ever since the CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR-IHBT) Palampur opened it to the public two years ago.
Developed under the Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Floriculture Mission, three years ago it is thrown open to the general public every year from around the first week of February for a month or month and a half when the garden is in full bloom.
This year visitors got to feast their eyes on tens of thousands of tulip blooms in 6 vibrant colours. Last year, over 70,000 visitors from across the country visited the garden, and this year the footfall is expected to surpass that figure.
The team of scientists pose in the Tulip Garden at CSIR-IHBT Palampur, Himachal Pradesh
Dr Sudesh Kumar Yadav, Director, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur told Fact Times that by throwing open the tulip garden to the public, CSIR-IHBT Palampur aims to promote scientific tourism as part of its CSIR-Floriculture Mission to promote commercial cultivation of flowers in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab and Haryana and help farmers increase their family incomes.
The institute has been providing its expertise and plant materials, including saplings, bulbs, seeds, etc of 15 flower varieties, including lilium, tulip, gladiolus, carnation, gerbera, marigold, tuberose, chrysanthemum, etc. to farmers, besides supporting them with cold storages, refrigeration vans and marketing advice, he added.
Regarding the impact of the Floriculture Mission, Dr. Bhavya Bhargava, Senior Scientist cum Mission Nodal at the Palampur institute, shared that ever since the CSIR-Floriculture Mission was launched, more than 850 hectares of land has been brought under commercial flower cultivation in these states and union territories, benefitting more than 5,000 families.
Tracing the progression of the mission and incomes it has generated for farmers in Himachal Pradesh alone, a CSIR-IHBT survey through feedback forms has shown that in 2021-22, the first year of the mission, 58 hectares area was brought under commercial flower cultivation in the state, touching 344 farm families and generating an income of Rs 5 Cr for them.
In 2022-23, another 87 hectares were covered, involving 549 families, collectively generating an income of Rs 7.5 Cr. In the current financial year (2023-24), an additional 145.5 hectares have been brought under flower cultivation by 832 farm families, earning them an income of Rs 12 crore.
High altitude centre, CeHAB
CSIR-IHBT started experimental trials on flower and bulb production of lilium in the Lahaul valley of Himachal Pradesh for its commercial cultivation from its Centre for High Altitude Biology (CeHAB) located in the cold desert region at Ribling, in Lahaul & Spiti district in 2008. It introduced offseason bulbs for production of lilium flowers in the Lahaul valley.
Initially members of some local farmers’ cooperative societies were trained and empowered to cultivate lilium. Since then, 8.5 hectares of land have been brought under lilium cultivation, engaging some 500 local farmers. Recently tulip and peony flower cultivation has also been introduced in the valley and the local farmers are engaged in bulb and flower production, earning good money.
CSIR-IHBT is currently focussing heavily on producing enough tulip bulbs to meet the annual domestic demand of the country for the next 7-8 years and make India self-reliant in this aspect.
To cater to the increasing demand for saplings, bulbs and seeds, especially of high-value flowers, it is also promoting clusters for the production of planting material of lilium, tulips, gladiolus and marigold. Some tissue culture firms and nurseries are also being engaged in this activity.
Vertical gardens
With the aim of generating public awareness, CSIR-IHBT is assisting in establishing vertical and other gardens at public places. It has done a 325 sq ft vertical garden at Gaggal Airport in Dharamshala, where it has planted various species like zebrina, money plant red, money plant green, money plant yellow, spider, asparagus & chlorophytum.
Among other such vertical gardens, a 198 sq ft garden has been done at the director’s office in AIIMS Bilaspur and one at Kullu Manali (Bhuntar) Airport.
The institute is also open to helping communities and startups with guidance and training.
Establishing small floriculture gardens in schools and colleges is another important activity indulged in by CSIR-IHBT to create awareness and provide hands on training to students and teachers alike on various aspects of floriculture.
CSIR-IHBT is working with the objective to enhance farmers’ income and entrepreneurship development through high value floriculture utilizing CSIR technologies.
As part of CSIR-IHBT’s Floriculture Mission
* Financial & technical support is provided by CSIR-IHBT
* Basic inputs for production of quality planting materials are made available
* Assistance is provided in establishment of cool chain facilities like cold storages and refrigerated vans
* Small floriculture gardens are established in schools and colleges for imparting hands on training on various aspects of floriculture
* Expansion of area under floriculture
* Urban floriculture
* Post harvest management and value addition technologies
* Effective market linkages
* New variety development and registration
