Overview
- Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena flagged off an air consignment of 15,000 A‑grade lilium stems from Leh Airport on Tuesday bound for Delhi, Mumbai and Chandigarh.
- A‑grade stems are described as having four to five buds, carry an estimated five to seven day shelf life, and are expected to fetch about ₹150–₹200 per stem in retail markets.
- Initial operations at the Choglamsar site employ 15 local women for cutting, sorting and packaging at a reported daily wage of ₹900, with local marketing handled by a botanist.
- Saxena has directed deputy commissioners in six districts to identify at least 20 acres each so the administration can bring roughly 200 acres under floriculture by next year.
- The Choglamsar pilot was developed in about 60 days, opened to the public on September 17, and contains over 2.5 million blooms that Ladakh officials say have boosted visitor interest and tourism potential.