FFDC IIIM Jammu planning perfume-making training programmes for farmers

Jammu, Apr 16 (PTI) The Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre and the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine are planning training programmes for farmers in Jammu and Kashmir to impart basic skills in perfume making.
    This announcement was made by Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre (FFDC) Director Shakti Vinay Shukla during a day-long stakeholders' meeting at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine at Jammu.
    "FFDC and IIIM Jammu are jointly planning short training programmes of three to five days, to be held either in Bhaderwah or at the Biotech Park, where farmers can learn the basics of perfume making," Shukla told reporters here.
    Assuring a ready market for quality products, he said, even small stakeholders in Kannauj run businesses worth Rs 70–80 crore.
    "If any farmer produces even 50 kg of a quality product, industry representatives are ready to place orders. The issue is not demand but ensuring correct production and proper presentation," he added.
    Shukla also invited farmers to visit FFDC's campus in Kannauj, highlighting that the centre operates in a self-sustaining mode without relying on government salary support.
    He underlined the vast potential of India’s aromatic sector, noting that Kannauj, along with Grasse in southern France, is among the only two towns globally with an unbroken 5,500-year-old tradition of perfumery, backed by archaeological and GI evidence linked to the Indus valley civilisation.
    He said that FFDC serves as a bridge between research laboratories, industries and farmers, providing end-to-end support, from cultivation practices to value-added products, such as edible flavours and wearable fragrances, while also facilitating direct market linkages.
    The stakeholders' meeting at the CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine at Jammu set the stage for the Lavender festival 2026.
    The meeting brought together farmers, scientists, start-ups, industry representatives and officials to deliberate on the next phase of the Aroma Mission, with emphasis on value addition and market expansion, officials said.
    Participants from Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi discussed strategies to improve product quality, strengthen branding and connect growers with national and international fragrance markets, they added.
    "The focus remained on moving beyond cultivation to developing products such as perfumes, incense sticks, room fresheners and organic cosmetics to enhance farmers' incomes".
    In her welcome address, Aroma Mission Nodal Officer Suphla Gupta said the meeting aimed to review achievements of the first three phases and identify areas for improvement.
    "We have reached a stage where we must now aim higher, and value addition will play a crucial role in that journey," she said, dedicating the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar to farmers for their contribution.
    Saran suggested sending farmers for training to FFDC Kannauj and said similar programmes are also being planned at the Biotech Park in Kathua.
    Stressing the importance of stakeholder integration, he said connecting farmers with industry remains a national priority in line with the Prime Minister’s vision.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)