Jammu: Ladakh marked a milestone in commercial floriculture on Tuesday with the despatch of its first air consignment of locally grown lilium flowers to major national markets.
Lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena flagged off the initial shipment of 15,000 “A-grade” stems at Leh airport. As a symbolic gesture, the LG presented bouquets of the Ladakh-grown blooms to flight crew members carrying the cargo to Delhi, Mumbai, and Chandigarh.
Cultivated at 10,600 feet in Leh’s Choglamsar area—the world’s highest-altitude flower field—the first consignment includes red, pink, white, yellow, and orange liliums. In commercial trade, “A-grade” refers to stems with four to five buds, which fetch premium retail rates between ₹150 and ₹200 per stem in domestic markets. The flowers have an estimated shelf life of five to seven days.
Terming the initiative historic, Saxena said that floriculture offers a sustainable, high-value livelihood stream aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for agricultural diversification.
The initial operations at the Choglamsar fields directly employ 15 local women in cutting, sorting, and packaging at a daily wage of ₹900 each. Marketing to national trade channels is managed by a qualified local botanist.
“This high-altitude project represents a major economic and visual shift for a region known for rugged, barren terrain,” Saxena said during the flag-off. “Beyond agricultural success, this is a step toward strengthening the socio-economic status of local communities, boosting eco-tourism, and reshaping the visual landscape of Ladakh.”
Following the pilot’s success, Saxena directed deputy commissioners across six other districts—Kargil, Drass, Sham, Changthang, and Zanskar—to replicate the model by identifying at least 20 acres in each region. The administration aims to bring 200 acres under high-value floriculture by next year.
The Choglamsar field, housing over 25 lakh flowers, was developed within two months under the administration’s direct oversight. Since opening to the public on September 17, the site has drawn hundreds of daily visitors.