Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Dec 26: The GI-tagged Shankarpura jasmine (Mallige), celebrated across the Karnataka coast, Mumbai, and other metropolitan cities, is witnessing a dramatic decline in cultivation, raising concerns about its survival.
Experts attribute the fall to fewer cultivators, pest infestations, costly pesticides, shortage of farm labour, erratic weather, and waning interest among the youth. While the Horticulture Department has shown limited engagement, younger generations’ disinterest has compounded the problem, placing Shankarpura jasmine at serious risk.
In 2018, around 4,500 jasmine growers were reported across villages in Kapu taluk. Today, the number has dwindled to just about 1,000.
Decades ago, a single household could cultivate enough jasmine to fill an entire basket; today, even a single bundle is scarce. These figures suggest that this cultural and historical symbol of the region is nearing a critical stage.
According to Horticulture Department records, the average yield per hectare is seven metric tonnes. However, the area under cultivation and total yield have plummeted dramatically over the past five years. In 2020–21, jasmine was cultivated over 144.7 hectares, producing 1,013 metric tonnes.
The following year, the area reduced to 98 hectares with a yield of 686 metric tonnes. In 2022–23, cultivation dropped to 75 hectares, producing 527.5 metric tonnes. By 2023–24, only 55 hectares yielded 38 metric tonnes, and in 2024–25, a mere 7 hectares produced 49 metric tonnes, reflecting an over 90% reduction in yield.
Officials note that since jasmine is often grown in home compounds or small government plots, some cultivation may not be fully recorded. Nevertheless, the collapse of commercial cultivation is undeniable.
Plans to establish a comprehensive jasmine centre at Padubelle village—covering cultivation, research, production of value-added products such as fragrant oils, cold storage, and marketing for regions including Shankarpura, Innanje, Kurkalu, Moodabetta, Bantakallu, Shirva, Belle, Kattingeri, Manipura, Marne, Pernalu, Pilaru, Kutyaru, Kalatturu—have not materialised.
Even the larger Horticulture Department office at Doddanagudde has not prioritised turning jasmine into a major revenue source or promoting value-added products to attract youth. Consequently, the elder generation fears the extinction of jasmine cultivation.
Meanwhile, Bhutkala jasmine, introduced to Mangaluru markets around 2007–10, has seen increasing use in bridal garlands and is gaining popularity, partially filling the void left by Shankarpura jasmine.
Around a decade ago, approximately 5,000–6,000 bundles of Shankarpura jasmine entered the market. Five years ago, this dropped to 2,000–3,000 bundles, and today only a few hundred bundles are available despite strong demand. Some growers struggle to maintain plants, and there is no proper crop insurance or compensation. The horticulture department has largely failed to support growers.
“Due to erratic weather, pest attacks, and other challenges, jasmine cultivation is on the verge of collapse. The government must provide special incentives to growers, or even this GI-tagged flower may disappear,” said Ramakrishna Sharma, President, Udupi District Farmers’ Association.
“My family has cultivated jasmine for generations, and I have been involved in cultivation and trade for 35 years. Earlier, a household produced 5–6 bundles per basket; now it barely reaches 5–6 clusters, largely due to youth disinterest and reliance on the elder generation,” said Vincent Rodrigues, a jasmine trader from Shankarpura.
With both cultivation area and yield declining sharply, the future of Shankarpura jasmine, a traditional emblem of Tulu Nadu’s horticultural heritage, appears increasingly uncertain.