Priority Aromatic Crops
Various agro- climatic conditions are available in Uttarakhand which provide a number of opportunities to cultivate different types of crops belonging to the sub lower hills, middle hills and upper hills. Prior to large scale cultivation and extension of aromatic crops in the farmer’s field, agronomical trials were carried out on various aromatic crops to study growth, yield and quality. On the basis of the results, the crops have been selected as:
- Lower hills – Lemongrass, Japanese Mint, Sandalwood, Palmarosa, Tagetes (patula), Citronella;
- Middle hills – Damask Rose, Cinnamon, Chamomile, Tagetes (minuta), Geranium, Artemisia;
- Upper hills – Damask Rose, Caraway, Costus
Cultivation of aromatic crops has been focused as bonus crop to generate additional income and maximum utilization of land from existing cropping system. In these cropping systems, aromatic grasses are being promoted as waste land crops in abandoned lands; Damask Rose as boundary crop in apple, pea, rajma, potato and vegetable fields; Japanese Mint as inter-crop in wheat; Chamomile as short duration crop after paddy harvesting and Cinnamon as agro-forestry crop.
