More than 3 quintals of saffron corn being smuggled out of Kashmir was on Tuesday seized at Srinagar’s Air Cargo.
Director Agriculture, Kashmir, Chowdhary Mohammad Iqbal, said that on a specific input regarding the export of saffron corms outside the valley, he led a team of enforcement flying squad of the Department and seized saffron corms being transported through Air Cargo Srinagar.
Pertinantly, export or sale of saffron corms outside the valley has been banned by the department.
Iqbal said saffron is the heritage crop of Kashmir and as such export of its corns is banned.
Saffron produced in Kashmir was given the GI tag few months ago with the objective to put the Valley’s brand on the global map.
Pampore region, commonly known as the saffron bowl of Kashmir, is the main contributor to saffron production, followed by Budgam, Srinagar, and Kishtiwar districts. But the quality of saffron grown in Pampore is considered the best.