Saffron production declines amid deficit rainfall in Kashmir Valley

As the saffron harvest season concludes, production in the Kashmir Valley has witnessed a significant decline due to deficient rainfall. The harvest, conducted annually from mid-October to November, is primarily centered in South Kashmir’s Pampore known as the “Saffron Bowl of Kashmir.”

Despite satisfactory yields over the past two years, farmers are disheartened by this year’s output. “Harvest has almost ended and reports from the ground indicate that production has dropped by nearly 50 per cent due to insufficient rainfall,” said Abdul Majeed Wani, president of the Saffron Association Kashmir, which represents 2,500 farmers.

Wani noted that his own farm’s yield decreased from approximately 70 kg last year to just 35–40 kg this year.

GM Pampori, a renowned saffron expert and grower, attributed the low production to multiple factors, including the lack of operational borewells for irrigation. “These borewells could have mitigated the impact of the rainfall deficit,” Pampori said, urging authorities to ensure their functionality. He also called for increased funding under the National Mission on Saffron (NMS) to support growers.

Weather officials reported a significant rainfall deficit over recent months in the Valley. “From October 1 to November 14, Kashmir Valley saw 79 per cent deficit rainfall following a 26 per cent deficit during monsoon period,” said Srinagar MeT department Director Mukhtar Ahmad. He said less rainfall has severely impacted the agriculture production, including saffron.

Meanwhile, an Agriculture Department official said they are in the process of collecting data for this season’s saffron production. “We will have the number within a week,” he said.

To address challenges in saffron production, the Central Government introduced the National Mission on Saffron (NMS) in 2010–11.

In 2020, Kashmiri saffron received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasising efforts to make it a globally recognised brand.

However, farmers feel that practical measures like operational borewells and increased funding are essential to sustain and boost saffron cultivation in the region.