Kashmir valley among various other unique and special features is famous for Saffron cultivation, but with changes in weather and low income from its cultivation, growers have shifted to horticulture sector, by turning saffron fields into fruit orchards.
There were times when farmers would put in their best and all the possible efforts to cultivate Saffron, but with the passage of time, everything related to this crop has changed now.
There are many factors responsible for the decline of Saffron produce, among which climate change is the biggest factor, which has put enormous impact on the produce of this world famous crop, which is being cultivated in fewer countries besides Kashmir. These countries include Iran and Spain, but when we speak about the quality, Kashmir Saffron has no match for its color and fragrance.
Saffron industry was once known to be among the major sectors, which would contribute major share of the economy and thousands of families were involved with the unique agriculture sector, but with decline in the yield of the crop, due to various reasons these people have lost interest in the crop and shifted to other avenues of earning livelihood for themselves.
More than 15000 Kanals of land was under Saffron cultivation in Eighties, which gradually came down to 10, 000 Kanals and presently Saffron is cultivated on 5000 Kanals and only 22 thousand families are relying on this sector.
Unlike past people involved with cultivation of Saffron say they hardly get anything out of this and have therefore planted apple trees on Saffron land, which has shrunk the area under the cultivation of Saffron. Further to this the agricultural land has fast been used for constructing residential houses.
Pertinently, some time back government had taken some steps to support saffron industry and enhance its production. In 2010 a project worth 100 crore rupees, ‘Saffron Mission’ was launched by the government, aimed at irrigating the Saffron fields and to provide market support to the farmers, but the farmers complain that the scheme was a big joke with the industry, because despite 9 years having passed since the Mission was introduced, any action towards providing irrigation to the fields has been taken and are left high and dry.
Saffron in valley is cultivated on a total area 5000 hectares, while as only 3700 hectares are covered under the mission, which leaves a large chunk of land without irrigational facility, under the mission..
An agriculture officer on the condition of anonymity accepted the negligence in completing the mission, but now work has been taken in hand on war footing basis. Scientists in Sheri Kashmir Agricultural University believe that once the irrigation scheme is complete; the yield of Saffron produce will also increase considerably.
A university official said that during the current year, there were rains at appropriate time, which had raised a hope of good crop, but the untimely snowfall destroyed the whole crop.
Farmers are demanded that on the pattern of other crops, Saffron crop should also be brought under insurance scheme, so that in case of eventualities, like the one they suffered this year, due to recent snowfall, they do not suffer financial losses. They also demand that a fresh survey may be conducted to find the actual land cover under the saffron cultivation and a scheme for the total land cover may be introduced to provide support to farmers and revive the past of saffron industry again.