Scientific Cultivation of Saffron
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| Saffron Seed, Corms, Bulbs, Spice |
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Kashmir has the proud privilege of producing the finest quality saffron,
which is famous for its
colour and flavour all over the world. The
Central Government launched the National Saffron Mission (NMS) in
November 2010 after the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh announced it
during his visit to Kashmir earlier in the year.
In
Kashmir valley, 90 percent of saffron production comes from Pampore
uplands, locally called ‘wudar’ on the southern outskirts of Srinagar
city. As elsewhere in the world, saffron is grown here too by small
individual farmers and the traditional quality control methods are the
only way to maintain the quality and the originality of the world’s
costliest spice. Saffron which is considered as nature’s precious
wonder gift to mankind is in great demand for its medicinal, cosmetic
and aromatic properties. It grows from a very small plant botanically
known as Crocus Sativus. Its purple coloured flower is the only part
mostly seen above the ground. The blossoms appear during late autumn
(mid-October to early November) and present a very fascinating memorable
sight in moonlight particularly on ‘Kartik Purnima’. The aromatic
reddish stigmas of these flowers are harvested which form the most
expensive part of the colourful spice called ‘Mongra’. The remaining
stalks are also processed to get inferior grade of saffron called
‘Lacha’.
There has been a drop in saffron cultivation
area as well as in production yields. The official production figures
show that saffron area has gone down from about 5,700 hectares to just
around 3,800 hectares and the productivity too has dipped from 3.13 kg
per hectare to 2.50 kg per hectare in the last few years. Officials say
that “mindless and unplanned” construction of residential houses in the
midst of saffron fields during the last two decades is one of the major
causes for shrinking of acreage.
Other reasons that
threaten the costliest cash crop of the state, according to experts,
are the lack of irrigation facilities, poor techniques adopted by the
growers and lack of post harvest management that have led to low
productivity and poor quality. Moreover, a commission appointed by the
Government pointed out that there has been a shortfall in the
replacement of Saffron seed for the last twenty years partly due to neglect in
improving the seed quality.
A multi-crore industry
engaged in production of eatable colour dyes, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics
and other uses depends on Kashmir Saffron. However, due to its
shortfall in production, the industry looked other wards to meet its
raw material requirements. The dwindling domestic production has led to
demand outstripping the supply and thus spurting the prices, making
saffron smuggling a lucerative business. It is reported that the
Iranian saffron fetches double its price in India. Expressing concern
over the smuggling of Iranian saffron Union Agriculture Secretary, Shri
A. K. Basu conceded that ‘’while this was happening no one paid any
great attention to the problem or failed to address it.’’ He said that
National Saffron Mission would wipe out many aspects of the problem.
The 371.18 crore rupees National Saffron Mission Programme with
286.06 crore rupees as the Central Government’s share and 85.12 crore
rupees as farmers’ share will be executed in four years to revive
saffron production in Jammu and Kashmir. The mission would cover drip
irrigation, research, mechanization, processing and marketing support to
ease the crisis. An amount of Rs. 39.43 crore is being utilized during
the current financial year. Jammu & Kashmir Minister for
Agriculture, Shri Ghulam Hassan Mir said ‘’the objective of the Saffron
National Mission is to improve the overall production of saffron,
enhancing quality of saffron, enhancement of research and extension
capability and develop appropriate system for organized marketing for
the growers’’. The Minister said that the main objective of the scheme
is to extend support for creation of irrigation facilities through tube
wells and sprinklers, which would help better crop production in the
area.
In order to provide improved irrigation facilities
to the saffron growers 253 tube wells would be set up under the NSM in
the state, with each tube well having a potential to irrigate 30
hectares. Of them 128 tube wells would be in Pulwama and 106 in Budgam
districts. Fifty-three tube wells would be bored during the current
financial year. At the same time, it is proposed to strengthen the
existing Lathipora lift irrigation scheme on the river Jehlum adjacent
to Pampore fields to create a permanent water source for saffron areas.
The saffron mission also envisages to make available over 3,700
sprinkler sets to the farmers with 50 percent subsidy over an estimated
cost of Rs 5000 per set.
The mission also proposes to
introduce mechanization techniques by procuring costly machines for use
by farmers through the Agriculture Department for digging of fields and
plantation of saffron corms. This would increase profitability of
saffron growers by reducing the production costs. Each year 125 dryers
are also planned for distribution among farmers for drying and seasoning
of the harvested crop.
The NSM also seeks to develop
appropriate systems for organized marketing, quality-based pricing of
saffron and for formulating direct transactions between growers,
traders, exporters and industrial agencies. National Spot Exchange would
establish a Quality Control Lab at Pampore at a cost of Rs 8.90 crore
to ensure quality testing and marketing of the saffron. There is also a
proposal to set up a Spice Park for which a site has been identified at
Pampore. Its purpose is to promote direct transactions between growers,
traders, exporters and industrial agencies by developing organized
marketing with quality based pricing of Saffron. It is expected that
after completion of the National Saffron Mission the state’s income from
saffron production would increase from the present Rs. 236.55 crore to
Rs.4,642.50 crore, said the state Agriculture Minister.The saffron
farmers and their association have received well the National Saffron
Mission and have started registering farmers groups as societies. ‘’We
really require this Mission and if it is implemented, the growers will
be benefited,” said Raja Mushtaq, a saffron grower. They expect that
the mission would go a long way in improving production and productivity
and bringing in consistency in processing and marketing. “The saffron
mission will go a long way in helping farmers enhance quality and
productivity of Saffron,” said Seed Pathologist Farooq Ahamd Mandoo.
The Central Government expects to turn the corner in the next
two years and restore the prestige and credibility of Kashmir saffron
which the Union Agriculture Secretary described as a ‘’heritage issue
and linked to very ethos of Kashmir.’’ (PIB Features)
Freelance Writer
Disclaimer : The views expressed by the author in this feature are entirely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of PIB.
