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The saffron farmers are not happy from the last few years as there is a decline in Saffron production. Cultivated and harvested in the highlands of Pampore, thousands of families in the town are associated with saffron cultivation. The prices are at par. Yes, indeed the prices are at par, but the problem is low production. Hit by climate change, poor irrigation and outdated farming and post-harvest practices, the production of Kashmiri saffron has declined. The world’s most expensive spice is affected by lack of irrigation facilities. Even significant number of farmers have converted their saffron fields to cultivate apple trees, mustard, and other crops. It must be borne in mind that as many as 32,000 farmers are registered for saffron cultivation in Pulwama, Budgam, Srinagar and Kishtawar with around 3,715 hectares-more than half of that in Pulwama -covered under the crop. According to a research conducted in 2021, called Agro-Climatic Suitability Evaluation for Saffron Production in Areas of Western Himalaya, published by Frontiers, Saffron “grows well in friable, loose, low density, well-irrigated and well-drained clay calcareous soils with an optimum pH range between 6.8–7.8 and electrical conductivity. Saffron, despite its price, is in high demand for its antioxidant properties. It also carries a hefty price tag because the process of converting crocus flowers into the thread-like spice is painstaking and labor-intensive. The saffron from Kashmir is priced more as it is acclaimed for its higher potency of antioxidants like serotonin, crocetin, safranal, and kaempferol than the imported varieties. However, farmers believe that the poor methodology opted by the government to retrieve the lost production of the crop has failed on the ground. Another challenge facing saffron production is poor adherence to the practice of changing its corms or seeds. Growers as per the experts sow 225,000 corms per hectare, while science suggests it should be 500,000. The legacy of Kashmiri saffron remains an integral part of the region’s heritage, culture, and culinary traditions. The government needs to do more so that the king of all spices rules the market and Kashmiri farmers are the primary beneficiaries of that market stability.
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