A young Kashmiri saffron grower, Jehangir Mir, is excited to see nearly 20 years of drought-like cycle broken as he was able to pluck a bumper crop of the world’s most expensive spice.
Mir, a resident of Chandhara village in the Pampore area of Kashmir, said he witnessed saffron flowers growing in bunches for the first time after his childhood. He attributed it to the timely rainfall, by August-end, and a few showers after that.
He said the crop was attracting a number of tourists to take selfies posing with the purple flowers. The saffron flowering cycle has returned to its original timing, raising hopes of a bumper crop.
Farmers, along with their womenfolk and children, are seen plucking saffron flowers in the morning and collecting these in baskets.
The saffron crop is dependent on timely rainfall as the irrigation system set up by the government after spending crores of rupees is not functional in most parts of the saffron growing area.
In view of the saffron harvesting season, the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri chaired a crucial meeting to review the functioning of India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre (IIKSTC) and take stock of other important issues at the IIKSTC, Pampore.
The meeting was attended by the key officials and stakeholders, including Deputy Commissioner Pulwama, Dr.Basharat Qayoom; Director Horticulture Kashmir, Director Agriculture Kashmir, Director Horticulture Planning and Marketing J&K, Chief Engineer MED and District officers.
The saffron farmers from the region also actively participated, further highlighting the importance of their insights and experiences in the industry’s growth. The meeting threadbare discussed the progress and achievements of the National Mission on Saffron and the initiatives taken to enhance saffron production, while simultaneously addressing the concerns of saffron growers in the area.
The director of agriculture informed them that Saffron Park is fully equipped for value addition and quality control to ensure the best returns on produce.