Saffron production goes down due to primitive irrigation facilities
Sprinkle irrigation facilities yet to come up

Tawqeer Hussain
After losing her husband three years ago, Fatima, 55, is looking after the treasure which was owned by loved one. She looks at the treasure and feels proud that she has been able to look after it as would have been wished by her husband. Her treasure is not an ordinary one, but a special one more so when people are not paying much attention to this type of treasure being owned by them.
You might be wondering what is so great about Fatima’s treasure. So let me end the suspense and tell you that this self-reliant lady looks after a saffron field at Pmpore (also known as Saffron town). She might be proud and happy, but in her heart of hearts she is somewhat saddened by the fact that her husband is not alongside her.
She is proud to be the owner of her small piece of saffron land and why not as it is the sole earning thing for her and it is by virtue she is able to carry out daily chores of life.
Just 20 kilometres South of Srinagar lies Pampore, the only place in Kashmir besides Badipora-Chadoora where world wide famous saffron grows. Kashmir is the only place in India, and one of the few places in the world where saffron, the world's most expensive spice grows. When it comes to Kashmir, the plateau land of Pampore seems to be an ideal location for the cultivation of Saffron, with Badipora also coming up on cultivation map of Saffron in recent times.
Saffron is not grown on any other fertile alluvial plateaus of Kashmir, and the people of Pampore take pride in this achievement. They would not hestite in saying that there is certain magical element in the soil of Pampore which helps Saffron flowers to bloom thus leading to an ambience where fragrance of Saffron flowers mesmerize the whole surroundings.
Saffron, heritage crop of Kashmir is the only expensive spice in the world which is grown in the lands of pampore, but as time passes by it is losing its value, esteem due to the pathetic attitude of the government. Experts also believe that primitive methods of irrigation, cultivation practices are also responsible for its declining production.
Apart from Kashmir, saffron is grown mostly in Iran and Spain. Saffron is the main spice of the Kashmiri cuisine and its rich aroma marks all the celebrations in Kashmir.
While Iran accounts for about 70 per cent of total world production, the quality of the Kashmir Saffron is considered the best world wide.
“Despite being an important spice reckoned world wide, the saffron of Kashmir is losing its charm both at the hands of government as well as locals. The construction of houses in the saffron fields has resulted in its declining production” says Javaid, a youth.
But his friend Ashiq Hussain has a different take on this issue. He believes that people should themselves take some steps in preserving this all important crop rather than looking for any sort of government interference.
“I think government cannot do anything and they are not serious in increase the production of Saffron. If that would have been the case then they would not have leased out 137.5 acres (1100 kanal) of saffron land at Lethpora Pampore to CRPF for the construction of their camp,” says Ashiq.
He adds, “On one hand government is imposing ban on the the construction in the saffron fields and on the other it is itself acquiring or leasing out land for construction.”
From 5400 hectares in 1997, the saffron land has been reduced to 3000 hectares.
Agricultural experts like Dr Firdous Ahmad Nehvi also cite other reasons for the decline in saffron production.
Dr. Nehvi, a scientist with Sheri-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Srinagar (SKUAST) blames farmers for ‘careless attitude’.
"The problem with saffron is that it is a perennial crop meaning you don't need to plant it every year, but the farmers treat it as a subsidiary crop and plant it every year, thereby depleting the nutrients in the soil resulting in low production,’’ says Dr. Nehvi.
He says, “Corm rot is the fungal disease which mostly hampers the saffron production and it plagues 41 percent of saffron land. Both the government and the farmers are in deep slumber. If this disease is not overcome in coming years its will drastically affect the saffron production.’’
Lack of the processing plant is also counted as another major reason for the low Saffron production. The cheap methods of saffron processing lead to a loss of 30% in its annual production.
“With the production of Saffron very much dependent on rainfall, the production has gone down since there is deficient rainfall owing to global warming phenomenon. We have to depend on rainfall even though facilties like sprinkle irrigation are available in the modern world,” says Imtiyaz Ahmad, a Saffron grower.
Even though some of Saffron farmers have dug bore wells in order to sprinkle their Saffron fields, but same is yet to lead to desired results in production since the practice is not common so far.
“Department of agriculture should have carried out some awareness programmes asking people to look for novel ways of irrigation, but they have failed in doing so. It is important that people are encouraged to explore possibilities for sprinkle inrrigation and bore well irrigation so that Saffron production is revived, but for the same it is necessary all stake holders sit and formulate a joint policy for forward movement,” says Abdul Khaliq, a Saffron farmer.