Saffron cultivation in India:
Context : 68% decline in last 2 decades in Kashmir
Causes :
1) traditional saffron farming areas facing challenges like erratic weather and low yields due to climate change
2) production decline from 15.95 metric tonnes in 1990s to just 2.6 metric tonnes in 2023-24.
3) Pulwama farmers suffers with lower yield and increased urbanisation switching to other crops like apple and walnuts.
4) today , saffron cultivation is only confined to Pampore and its surrounding areas.
5) lack of irrigation system and erratic rainfall and reliance on traditional farming methods, neglect of seed grade (corm), pest and rodent management issues.
6) low quality Iranian saffron is cheaper affecting the profitability of Indian saffron.
Solution lies in
— indoor saffron cultivation under more control environment
— seed undergo vegetative reproduction need research, corm safety
— GI tags given to Indian saffron
Facts on saffron cultivation:
World production: Iran (1st rank) , India (2nd rank).
India production: karawas of Kashmir like Pampore ,Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier in Pulwama too.
Extending in the Sikkim in recent years at Yuksom and Menchukha in Arunachal Pradesh.
Conditions required to grow saffron : purple revolution success depends on :
1) heights above 2000 meters, need sunlight for 12 hours.
2) soil rich in humus and calcium carbonate, well drained, pH between 6-8.
3) temperature: summer upto 30-35 degrees Celsius while winters upto -15 to -20 degrees Celsius.
4) rainfall: 100-150cm/year
Pampore saffron heritage of Kashmir is recognised as Globally important agricultural heritage system (GIAHS).
To meet the growing demand of saffron department of science and technology extending its cultivation in north east region of India due to climate and geological conditions in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
National saffron mission since 2010, horticulture mission in Himalayan region.
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