Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Nov 1: Kashmir’s famed saffron sector is once again staring at a severe crisis, with growers warning that this year’s output has plunged by nearly 90 per cent.
Farmers in Pampore — known as the “Saffron Bowl of Kashmir” — say that production this season is barely 10–15 per cent of normal levels, pushing thousands of families into economic distress.
The growers expressed concern that if corrective measures are not taken immediately, the crop, which has defined Kashmir’s identity for centurie,s may vanish.
“This year the corms haven’t sprouted properly at all,” said Abdul Majeed Wani, president of the Saffron Growers Association J&K.
He said, “Production is hardly 15 per cent. It isn’t even half of last year’s crop, which itself was only about 30 per cent of the normal harvest. Every year it is decreasing, and the government doesn’t seem serious about safeguarding this sector.”
Wani said the main problem lies in repeated long dry spells, lack of effective irrigation, and the poor quality of corms available in recent years.
The growers have appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Agriculture Minister to personally intervene and take emergency steps. They demanded immediate irrigation facilities, regular monitoring of saffron meadows, measures to stop illegal extraction and selling corms, and availability of quality corms for fresh replantation.
The area under saffron cultivation in Kashmir has shrunk from 5,707 hectares in 1996–97 to just 2,387 hectares in 2019–2020 — a reduction of 65 per cent.
Government data shows that production fell from 17.33 metric tonnes in 2021 to 14.87 MT in 2022, and marginally rose to 14.94 MT in 2023. However, last year’s output has been reported to be only around 30 per cent of normal production.
However, growers argue these figures do not reflect the reality at ground level.
According to them, last year’s real output was barely 20 per cent of an average harvest — and this year they expect similar or worse output.
While the National Mission on Saffron (NMS) has revived some fields through sprinkler irrigation systems and farmer awareness programs, experts caution that the impact remains limited. “The siphoning off of corms and poor land management practices continue to negate the gains achieved under the mission,” said an agricultural scientist from SKUAST-K.
Pampore’s saffron – prized globally for its deep colour, aromatic thread, and medicinal value – has been more than just a crop for the region. It has been a cultural marker and a source of livelihood for thousands of families.
“Revival of saffron isn’t just about saving a crop; it’s about preserving a tradition, a culture, and an identity,” said a group of distressed growers from Pampore. “If immediate and effective measures aren’t taken, by 2030 there may be no saffron left in Pampore.”
