In a mesmerizing showcase of agricultural diversification, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu, on Sunday threw open the CSIR Tulip Fest–2026 to the public at its Field Station Bonera in Pulwama. The station, known for pursuing breakthrough research and technologies in medicinal and aromatic crops, has introduced a new facet to its research and technology deployment endeavours under the flagship CSIR Floriculture Mission, launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology to strengthen the commercial floriculture landscape in the region. Under a dedicated vertical of the Mission for producing indigenous, high-quality germplasm for commercial floricultural cultivars, the institute has made significant progress over the past five years, particularly in the indigenization of tulip bulb production.

Scientists and researchers associated with the Mission have developed robust production and management protocols aimed at creating sustainable and scalable models for the multiplication of indigenous tulip bulbs. Leveraging the favourable agro-climatic conditions of Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the Kashmir Valley, the Field Station currently hosts around 1.3 lakh blooming tulips, attracting thousands of visitors. These include school and college students, social media influencers, environmentalists, and local residents from across the Valley. The initiative marks a major milestone under the CSIR Floriculture Mission and builds upon a successful pilot experiment initiated at the station four years ago. Preliminary research on tulip bulb germination and multiplication has yielded promising results, laying the groundwork for large-scale local production. At present, tulip cultivation in Kashmir is largely dependent on imported bulbs. However, this breakthrough signals a new beginning for sustainable, locally driven tulip production in the region. Launched in 2020, the CSIR Floriculture Mission aims to enhance farmers’ incomes and promote an agritech startup ecosystem through the cultivation of diverse floricultural crops and development of value-added products.

Addressing the inaugural function, Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, highlighted the institute’s commitment to providing high-quality planting material to farmers, thereby strengthening their economic prospects and transforming the region’s agrarian ecosystem. While appreciating the efforts of researchers involved in the Floriculture Mission, he emphasized that scientific interventions at the station are playing a crucial role in enabling import substitution of tulip bulbs. He further added that the Mission is being successfully implemented under the visionary guidance of Dr. Jitendra Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of Science and Technology. Dr. Ahmed also noted that Jammu and Kashmir, being a biodiversity hotspot, holds immense potential for the cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants. He said the Bonera Field Station is well-positioned to evolve into a centre of excellence for developing region-specific technologies in agriculture and horticulture. He further expressed that the Field Station will, in the future, host a National Tulip Festival to promote the institute’s research outcomes. During his visit to various sectors of the station, Dr. Ahmed reviewed the progress of ongoing research trials in agrotechnology development for medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), floriculture, and agri-horticultural crops. He stressed the need for value addition of locally developed crop commodities, strengthening market linkages, and enhancing overall technology outreach.

Dr. Shahid Rasool, Principal Scientist and In-charge of the Field Station Bonera, lauded the team working on tulip bulb indigenization. He said the programme has been meticulously designed to ensure quality bulb production, develop disease management protocols, establish efficient storage practices, and standardize field-scale cultivation techniques. The Tulip Festival received widespread appreciation from visitors, many of whom said the unique initiative by CSIR-IIIM Jammu has helped place Pulwama district prominently on the tourism map of Jammu and Kashmir.