Srinagar, Mar 26 (KNO): Even as the government continues to claim an increase in saffron production and expansion in the area under cultivation in Jammu & Kashmir, ground realities in the traditional saffron belt of Pampore narrate a different story.
According to the details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) large stretches of saffron fields in Lethpora, Chandhara and adjoining areas are now visibly covered with mustard and other crops, raising concerns about the future of the Kashmir’s prized product.
A visit to the saffron-rich belt of Pampore, often referred to as the ‘Saffron Town’ of Kashmir, reveals that mustard plantations have taken over a significant portion of land once exclusively reserved for saffron cultivation. In several areas, farmers have either shifted to alternative crops or abandoned their fields altogether.
Local farmers attribute this shift to declining saffron yields, lack of quality planting material (corms), and what they describe as inadequate government support.
Ashiq Hussain, a resident of Chandhara, said that saffron cultivation is gradually disappearing from the region.
“Farmers are losing interest because the returns are no longer sustainable. The production has declined sharply over the years, and there is hardly any support to revive it. Today, most of the saffron land is under mustard cultivation,” he said.
Echoing similar concerns, Abbas Ahmad from Lethpora said that the transformation of saffron fields is evident across the belt.
“You can see for yourself that mustard has been sown on a majority of the saffron land. Some farmers have even left their land barren because the corms have deteriorated and are no longer productive,” he said.
Firdous Ahmad, a farmer from Pampore, termed the situation alarming and said saffron cultivation is “on its last legs” in Kashmir.
“The biggest issue is the shortage of good quality corms. Over the past few years, the corms have been damaged due to various factors, including erratic weather conditions. As a result, production is declining with each passing season,” he said.
Farmers also pointed to the limited impact of the National Saffron Mission, which was launched to rejuvenate saffron cultivation in the region. While the project included measures like irrigation facilities and improved farming practices, locals claim it has failed to deliver the expected results on the ground.
“The mission was a good initiative on paper, but it has not translated into real benefits for farmers. There has been no serious effort to investigate why yields continue to fall or why corm quality is deteriorating,” said another grower.
Experts believe that saffron cultivation in Kashmir is facing multiple challenges, including climate change, urbanization, soil degradation, and lack of timely interventions. The decline in productivity has made saffron less economically viable compared to other crops like mustard, which require less investment and offer more consistent returns.
The situation has sparked concerns among stakeholders, as Kashmir saffron holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag and is known globally for its unique aroma, color, and quality.
The decline in cultivation has hit livelihoods and is also threatening the identity of one of the region’s most iconic agricultural products.
Locals have urged the government to take immediate and concrete steps, including the supply of high-quality corms, scientific intervention, and proper monitoring of existing schemes, to revive saffron cultivation before it is too late—(KNO)