Choglamsar floriculture project to empower farmers, SHGs and cooperatives with new income avenues
Ladakh has begun development of India’s highest commercial Lilium cultivation field at Choglamsar, marking a first-of-its-kind floriculture venture in the region. Over 50,000 premium bulbs have been planted in the past three days along the Sindhu riverbank, with blooms expected by early September.
Spanning 93,000 square metres at an altitude of nearly 3,265 metres, the field surpasses Uttarakhand’s Mana flower park (3,200 metres) to become the country’s highest. The project, backed by CSIR-IHBT Palampur, was launched by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on June 22, 2026, in line with Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah’s “Sahkar se Samriddhi” vision.
The Agriculture department will develop the field in year one before handing it to trained Self-Help Groups and cooperatives, who will manage cultivation, harvesting and marketing thereafter.
Ladakh’s sub-zero to 4°C winters suit Lilium bulbs naturally, and after three years bulbs multiply on their own, boosting future yields. Premium Lilium sticks fetch Rs 150–200 in domestic markets, promising strong returns for local growers.
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