The continuous dry spell witnessed from the last two months is beginning to deliver its ugly implications. This dry spell occurred at a time when Kashmir’s king of spices needed it the most. Saffron production in Kashmir has witnessed a 50 to 60 percent dip as compared to last year thus making the cost of production shoot through the roof and consequently making saffron costlier and rarely available in the market. A few spells of rain are needed in the month of September and October for the bumper yield of saffron in Kashmir but this year these two months saw below-average precipitation making the cost of cultivation go extremely high. Even during the dry spell farmers had broadcast their apprehensions of a low yield but they were expecting there would be thunder in the sky and timely rains would fall. But it was not to be.
Many saffron growers are so depressed that they want to give it a gap of a few years before restarting to cultivate saffron. Some are planning to switch to other sources of employment. It must be said that global warming is beginning to cast its spell on the costliest spice of the world. The saffron cultivated in the Kashmir valley is of superior quality as compared to its cousins from Iran and Spain. However, due to lack of marketing and lack of proper disruptive innovation strategies the Kashmiri saffron is not able to disrupt the market in a decisive way.
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Now, with the dip in production, the government must think of a short-term compensation that would encourage the cultivators to go on with the same enthusiasm for the next year as well. Apart from the horticulture produce, Saffron production on our Karewas is a key contributor for the GDP of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It is an important spice that finds mention in the ancient texts as well. It can be used as a rejuvenator as it caps antioxidants, retains youthfulness, and is used in skin creams and other cosmetics.
The government must listen to the saffron growers in this hour of loss and devise an effective irrigation plan to ensure the king of spices gets water when it needs it the most. Saffron production can be the major backbone of our economy if we strategize its cultivation and sales strategy properly.
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