Kashmiri saffron crop would arrive in market in coming weeks

Bulbs of the saffron plants have been damaged due to excess rain and flooding in the region

Much of the saffron crop in Kashmir was damaged during the flash floods in the state. The bulbs of the saffron plants were damaged due to excess rain and flooding. The remaining crop saved will come to the market in coming weeks as flowering would start in a few days.

Abdul Mujid Vani, president of the Saffron Growers Association at Pampore told Business Standard in the low lying areas of Nahma, Katapur, Basru and Sambura, the floods had destroyed the crop.

The major saffron growing pocket of Kashmir, Pampore in district Pulwama, has lost 70 per cent of its crop. Pampore grows almost 90 per cent of the total crop.

The areas of Khrew, Shar, Ladoo, Latapura and Disu have retained some  and loss has been contained here.

Saffron is grown on 3,200 hectares of land in Kashmir, scattered in the districts of Pulwama, Budgam and Kishtwar. Last year, approximately 11 tonnes of saffron was produced, fetching Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 1.75 lakh a kg.

The annual consumption of Saffron in India is about 40 tonnes and Iran is also a major supplier for our country. Iranian saffron is quoted at Rs 1.25 lakh a kg in Mumbai while Kashmir saffron is quoted at Rs 2 lakh a kg. With Kashmir output falling, Iranian saffron is mixed with Kashmir saffron to optimise revenues for Kashmiri farmers, a saffron trader from Mumbai said.

A saffron mission was rolled out in India in 2010 to encourage more farmers to grow it as in the past few years farmers had reduced area under the crop. Under the mission, a subsidy of Rs 2 lakh a acre is offered for adopting high-tech seeds and sowing technology.

Most of the farmers in Kashmir sought benefit under the scheme.  Families of 126 villages earn their livelihood by saffron farming.