J&K to develop local bulb production for sustainable Tulip garden: VC SKUAST-K

Sagam (Anantnag), Apr 03: The Center of Excellence for Tulips at SKUAST-K’s Mountain Crop Research Station (MCRS) in Sagam, Anantnag, is developing technology for tulip bulb multiplication.
The initiative aims to reduce imports and position Kashmir as a major bulb production hub after the Netherlands, said Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, Dr. Nazir Ahmad Ganai.
Dr. Ganai said that Sagam serves as a Mountain research station of SKUAST-K and is now being developed into a center of excellence for tulips. “We started this project this year with the aim of sustaining the tulip garden in Srinagar. To make it sustainable, we need locally produced bulb material, and for this purpose, we are developing this research station,” he said.
He further said that they have planted 50,000 bulbs this year, sourced from the Department of Floriculture. “Over the next 2-3 years, we will conduct research to develop 10 lakh tulip bulbs locally using university technology. We will collaborate with farmers to achieve this goal,” he added.
The Vice Chancellor said that this program will create employment opportunities and boost tourism. “We also have a trout farm adjacent to this site, which is a major tourist attraction. With this initiative, we aim to enhance tourism while supporting local farmers. Previously, the university successfully revived Mushkabudji rice in Sagam,” he said.
Dr. Ganai added that the income of farmers has increased significantly. “While regular rice in Jammu and Kashmir sells for around Rs 5,000 per quintal, Mushkabudji, which has been revived and made disease-tolerant, now sells for around Rs 25,000 per quintal, with a yield of 50-60 quintals per hectare,” he said.
He added that plans are on to promote floriculture at the university level in Jammu and Kashmir. “During autumn and winter, when most flowers wither, we have standardized technology for Chrysanthemum cultivation. We also plan to introduce orchid flowers, which bloom in January-February, a season when Kashmir has no flowers. Our goal is to enhance the J&K’s natural beauty year-round.”
Addressing employment prospects, Dr. Ganai said that they will involve local youth and farmers in plant material production. “This is just the beginning. We plan to develop landscaping in this area, with beautiful avenue plantations and enhanced tourism infrastructure,” he said.
Abid Ahmad, a local entrepreneur from Sagam, praised the initiative. “People here already have exposure to tourism, but the government’s new schemes will provide more opportunities. The Vice Chancellor informed us that Kashmir imports tulip bulbs worth crores annually. By producing these bulbs locally, we can retain this investment within Kashmir,” he said.
Abid further added that there is need for awareness programs on this initiative. “Many people don’t fully understand the purpose of this tulip farm. We urged the Vice Chancellor to launch awareness programs to educate local youth on how they can benefit from these opportunities,” he added.