Lemongrass Farming in India 2026
Hardy perennial grass yielding citral-rich oil, ideal for dryland and degraded soils.
Overview
Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) is a hardy perennial aromatic grass grown for its essential oil, which is rich in citral and used in soaps, cosmetics, flavours, fragrances and as a source for vitamin A and ionones. It is one of the most farmer-friendly aromatic crops because it tolerates poor, degraded and dryland soils, needs little care once established, and yields for several years from a single planting. CSIR-CIMAP has promoted it strongly in drought-prone regions such as Bundelkhand under the Aroma Mission. The grass is harvested multiple times a year and steam-distilled on or near the farm, and even the spent grass can be used as fuel for distillation. Oil yield is low in the first year and peaks around the second or third year before declining. Because oil prices fluctuate, returns should be treated as indicative ranges, and growers benefit from group distillation and a buyer tie-up. It suits farmers seeking a low-input, multi-year crop on marginal land.
Climate
Suits warm, humid tropical and subtropical climates with temperatures of about 20-35 degrees C and good sunshine. It grows under rainfall of roughly 700-3000 mm and also performs under irrigation in drier zones. It is hardy and tolerates drought once established but is sensitive to severe frost.
Soil
Adapts to a wide range of soils including poor, sandy, lateritic and marginal lands, making it valuable for degraded areas. It prefers well-drained loam to sandy loam with pH around 5.5-7.5. Heavy waterlogging should be avoided. Light soils still give acceptable yields, a key reason for its popularity in dryland.
Planting & Spacing
Propagated by slips (rooted tillers) of the mother clump, planted at about 30-60 cm spacing, commonly around 60 x 45 cm, at the onset of the monsoon or under irrigation in spring. A single planting remains productive for about 4-6 years. Light irrigation after planting and during dry spells improves establishment and herbage.
Varieties
CSIR-CIMAP has released improved high-oil, high-citral cultivars such as Krishna, Cauvery (Kaveri), Pragati, Praman and Nima. Choosing an improved CIMAP variety over local grass gives higher herbage, higher oil recovery and better citral content, which directly affects the price buyers pay.
Care & Management
Low maintenance once established. Needs weeding mainly in the first year, and a maintenance dose of nitrogen after each cutting boosts regrowth. Irrigate during prolonged dry spells for better herbage. The clump should be earthed up occasionally. Harvest and distil promptly to protect citral content.
Pests & Diseases
Lemongrass is relatively pest-free. Occasional issues include leaf blight and rust in very humid conditions and minor stem-boring or leaf-feeding pests. Good drainage, balanced nutrition and removing diseased leaves usually keep problems negligible, and heavy spraying is rarely needed for an oil crop.
Yield & Harvest
First cutting comes about 4-6 months after planting, with 3-4 (sometimes up to 6) cuttings a year thereafter. Roughly 25-30 tonnes of fresh herbage per hectare per year is common, yielding on the order of about 80-150 kg of oil per hectare per year depending on variety, age and management. Oil yield is lowest in year one, peaks around year two or three, then declines.
Cost & Profit
Lemongrass is a low-input crop with the bulk of cost in the first year for slips and field preparation; later years mainly need maintenance and distillation cost, so margins improve over the plantation life. Studies report favourable benefit-cost ratios (one Jharkhand study cited around 2.59 with gross returns near a lakh and a half per hectare), but these depend on oil price and yield. Treat figures as indicative and arrange distillation and a buyer first.
These are indicative ranges. Actual cost and income vary by region, market and management, so verify locally.
Market & Demand
Lemongrass oil is bought by soap, cosmetic, perfumery and flavour companies, essential-oil traders and exporters, and the vitamin A and ionone industry. India both consumes and exports the oil. Selling distilled oil, ideally graded for citral content, fetches far more than selling raw grass, so group or village-level distillation is advised.
Subsidy & Support
Lemongrass is a flagship crop of the CSIR Aroma Mission, under which CSIR-CIMAP supplies quality planting material, training and distillation support and has promoted it widely in Bundelkhand and other dryland regions. State horticulture and medicinal-plant schemes may also offer assistance. Confirm current Aroma Mission and state subsidy details with CSIR-CIMAP or your local agriculture office.
Where to grow it in India
Frequently asked questions
Why is lemongrass good for poor or dryland soils?
How many years does a lemongrass planting last?
How is lemongrass oil extracted?
What is lemongrass oil used for?
Which CIMAP varieties should I plant?
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