The Pulwama centre with over one lakh tulip bloom.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Scientists in Kashmir have embarked on an ambitious project to indigenise tulip bulbs to make India self-reliant and match the skill and production of Netherlands, a major global exporter that meets the annual demand of India’s 20-25 lakh tulip bulbs and cut flowers annually. This will also pave the way for hosting more blooming tulip gardens across the country, especially capital New Delhi.

To realise the goal, over a lakh tulips are already in full bloom at the research centre of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine in Pulwams’s Bonera area.

“The indigenisation of tulip bulb production in India is expected to bring significant changes to the country’s floriculture sector. Currently, India imports around 20-25 lakh tulip bulbs and cut flowers annually, primarily from the Netherlands. By establishing sustainable production models for high-quality tulip bulbs, India will be able to meet its ever growing domestic demand while also creating opportunities to export tulip bulbs to international markets,” Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of Science and technology and Earth Sciences, told The Hindu, in an online interview.

Spread over 60 hectares at an altitude of 5,400 feet, Pulwama’s Bonera station is emerging as the launching pad of the ambitious project that also aims to see new tulip blooming destinations adding to India’s tourism map in the future.

“The Ministry envisions establishing theme-based tulip gardens and production centers in regions with suitable agro-climatic conditions across the country. Given its temperate climate, J&K is poised to become a key hub for tulip bulb production. In the coming years, the region is expected to match capabilities of the Netherlands in research and development on this novel floricultural crop, further strengthening India’s position in the global floriculture industry,” Mr. Singh said.

The Union Minister said the Kashmir centre was developing “novel and elite varieties of high-value cut and bulbous crops, particularly tulips, to reduce import dependency and promote self-sufficiency in the sector”. The Pulwama station already has eight varieties of tulips in its rows.

Kashmir is home to the iconic Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar, which sees over 1.5 million flowers blooming every spring and attracts thousands of tourists from across the country. However, the region imports around 15 lakh bulbs every year from the Netherlands to curate Asia’s biggest tulip garden. Over five lakh tulip bulbs were also planted in other parts of the country, mostly in New Delhi, officials said.

The CSIR, however, felt the need to indigenise the bulbs. “India’s floriculture industry has long faced economic and logistical challenges due to its heavy reliance on imported tulip bulbs. These imports are not only costly but also vulnerable to global market fluctuations, trade restrictions, and supply chain disruptions,” Dr. Shahid Rasool, Senior Scientist and In-charge CSIR IIIM Field Station Pulwama, said.

Terming the Pulwama centre as a “strategic intervention”, Mr. Rasool said it will also create new economic avenues for growers within India’s floriculture sector. The department is planning to create farmers’ clusters to boost production of tulip bulbs.

The CSIR IIM has been carrying out trials to evaluate floral characteristics and adaptability, optimizing agro-technological protocols for large-scale cultivation since 2022. “We have been assessing resilience against pests, diseases, and climatic stresses. By refining these scientific parameters, the initiative aims to develop robust tulip varieties suited to local conditions. This has the potential to position J&K as a major hub for tulip production,” Mr. Rasool said.

Tulip cultivation, according to the scientists, offers an alternative and profitable income stream, particularly in regions where traditional agriculture is constrained by climatic or environmental limitations.

“The long-term objective of this initiative extends beyond self-sufficiency; it envisions positioning J&K as a key player in the global floriculture industry. J&K has the potential to export high-quality tulip bulbs to international markets, competing with established global producers such as the Netherlands,” he added.

Currently, the CSIR IIIM centre in Pulwama is in full bloom and awaits to take wings to widen its horizon.