Aromatic plants are primarily used to extract essential oils for use in industries such as cosmetics, flavouring and fragrance, spices, pesticides, repellents, and herbal beverages. These crops are establishing themselves as excellent cash crops due to their ability to withstand harsh climatic conditions. The international perfume industry is worth billions of dollars.
"Aromatic crop cultivation may entice people to return to farming in Uttarakhand," Dhami made the remarks while launching a centre for the development of aromatic plants in Selaqui city in Uttarakhand.
The Chief Minister discussed how the monkey menace, as well as weather and terrain-related issues, had forced people in Uttarakhand to abandon farming.
Dhami announced the opening of seven aroma valleys in Uttarakhand, including a lemongrass and mint valley in Haridwar, cinnamon valleys in Nainital and Champawat, damask rose valleys in Chamoli and Almora, mint valley in Udham Singh Nagar, Timur valley in Pithoragarh, and a lemongrass valley in Pauri district.
"It will be easier to develop barren lands into fields and orchards of aromatic crops and plants by growing cinnamon, timur, surai, and damask rose plants at the high-tech nursery," he said.
The Government of Uttarakhand established the Centre for Aromatic Plants in 2003 in the industrial area of Selaqui, Dehradun. At Lalkuan in the Nainital district, India's largest aromatic garden boasting 140 species has been created. The research division of the Uttarakhand Forest Department has developed the garden over a three-acre area.
