Isi Mark For Saffron Not Desirable

Business Standard: What is the current market position of Kashmiri saffron?

N Khosla: The new saffron crop for the year 1996-97 is almost ready, but it is difficult to arrive at an exact figure because of the recent snowfall in the producing regions of the Kashmir valley.

Following the snowfall, the link of the farmers, brokers, traders of the Kashmir with that of the other parts of the country has been broken.

But farmers have already started picking up flowers of saffron from the plants.

At the beginning of the season, that is November, it was estimated that the crop output would be double than the last year's production.

 

Last year, the crop was about 40 per cent of the usual crop.

According to the Jammu & Kashmir government, the usual saffron crop is around 10,000 kgs a year.

During 1996-97, hoarders and traders of Kashmir are quoting saffron in the market at Rs 455 per tola (one tola is equivalent to 11.665 grams) for Lachha quality and Rs 570 a tola for Mongra quality, as compared with Rs 475 and Rs 610 per tola quoted for the above varieties during 1995-96.

About two years back, these varieties of Kashmiri saffron were sold at Rs 300 and Rs 380 per tola respectively.

Looking at the comfortable crop position this year, the prices of saffron are likely to come down.

Besides, the arrivals of saffron in the market centres are also likely to go up in due course.

BS: What are the kinds of saffron available in the Indian market ? What are their price differences?

NK: In the Indian market, three types of saffron are available: One, Kashmiri, which is from Jammu and Kashmir which is a natural flower; two, Iranian saffron, and the last one is synthetic saffron, which is artificial and manufactured in the Punjab and Rajasthan on commercial basis.

The original Iranian saffron is available at Rs 15,000 a kg for Lachha quality and Rs 22,000 a kg for Mongra quality, as against the prices of original saffron of Kashmir as Rs 39,000 a kg for Lachha and Rs 49,000 for Mongra qualities per kg respectively.

The artificial variety, that is synthetic saffron, is being sold in between Rs 800 and Rs 3,500 a kg in the market.

The seasoned and experienced traders can differentiate the Kashmiri and Iranian saffron easily.

The artificial saffron's stigmas give away its colour very easily, while the natural stigma of Kashmir takes some time to perish.

Since 1957, the import of saffron is banned and now it is a restricted item. But the overseas saffron enters the Indian market by various means.

BS: Which other countries produce saffron in the world ? How does Indian Kashmiri saffron differ from the other countries?

NK: Many countries have been trying to grow saffron, but only Spain, Iran apart from India have succeeded in growing saffron on commercial basis.

A small quantity of saffron is grown in Greece, Argentina, Russia, Italy, France and the United Kingdom.

Quantity-wise, Spain tops the table followed by Iran and India respectively.

The consumption of saffron is the largest in India than any of the country of the world.

Spain and Iran sell their saffron at very cheaper rates in the international market and hence the question of export of saffron from India does not arise.

BS: What kind of weather is suitable for saffron ? Apart from J&K, can saffron be grown in any other state in the country ? Why ?

NK: Saffron grows in the hilly region and requires snowfall and rain.

Snowfall works as a natural fertiliser for the saffron seeds. Saffron can be produced in Himachal Pradesh and Utter Pradesh and other parts of the Kashmir if proper attention is paid by the J&K government. Apart from Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, experiments are also carried out in the districts of Chamba and Lahoul Spitti.

Our government has experimented in Ranikhet in Utter Pradesh and Kullu area in Himachal Pradesh.

Though, the experiments have been successful, the farmers are not ready to grow saffron on commercial basis in these areas. The reasons:

First, the farmers of these regions are very poor and always struggling for survival. Besides, after sowing the seeds of saffron, the crop can only be encashed after five years and that if the seeds are alive;

Second, healthy seeds of saffron are not parted by the Kashmiri farmers with the farmers of these areas.

If the farmers of these new areas get all the help, including incentives and assurances from the government, they may think of producing saffron on commercial basis.

BS: Which are the areas/districts of J&K where saffron is grown ? What is the annual production ? What is the production per acre?

NK: Saffron is grown in around 127 villages of the Kashmir valley , including the surrounding areas of Srinagar, Pampore, Chandhara, Latapore, Baramulla etc.

And in Jammu, Kishtwar is the suitable area for the saffron production.

As has been mentioned that saffron crop figures cannot be estimated as per one seed plant gives about one to four flowers andtherefore the estimated production per acre cannot be judged.

This may vary from 200 grams to 800 grams per acre of dry saffron stigmas.

About 15 grams to 17 grams of saffron is available from one kg of dry flowers and about 65 to 70 kgs of dry flowers or 1.5 lakh flowers will give one kg of saffron.

BS: What is the central/state government's present policy with reference to the saffron production ?

NK: Saffron is a natural agricultural produce and is widely used for medicinal purposes in the country

Its standard is already fixed by the Agmark department.

But it is learnt that the ISI department is also trying to fix its standard for saffron.

As saffron is not a manufactured item, the ISI mark should not be applied to saffron as the Agmark standard is already there.

The ISI department is fixing the standard of saffron based on the basis of international yardstick

As per international standards, more thrust is given on colour without taking its medicinal properties into consideration.

I believe that colour is one of the properties of saffron and the valuable properties must not be ignored.

And since the Agmark department has already fixed a standard for saffron, no other standard such as the ISI should be considered for saffron.