Jammu, June 1 (UNI) Lauding the Agri-Startup model of Lavender farming as a transformative force that has rewritten the narrative of entrepreneurship in remote and hilly terrains, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday said that Lavender has given the small town Bhaderwah in Dida district of Jammu and Kashmir--a national identity and also a national role in India's growth story.
Dr.Singh while inaugurating the two-day "Lavender festival 2025" organized by CSIR- IIIM at Bhaderwah, said, "This single mission has answered multiple challenges.” Dr Jitendra Singh said, “It busted the myth that start-ups are limited to IT or require foreign degrees. Our youth in Jammu & Kashmir, in collaboration with CSIR-IIIM, have shown that passion, perseverance, and learning can build sustainable ventures rooted in agriculture.”
He proudly shared that young entrepreneurs in Bhaderwah are earning an average of Rs 65 lakhs annually through lavender cultivation and value-added products, motivating many others to leave conventional jobs and pursue farming as a lucrative business opportunity.