KL Report
Srinagar
From last six years, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing a downfall in area and production of Saffron. The data was provided by the directorate of agriculture, Kashmir on Thursday during a media meet of Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture in Rangreth.
Kashmir is known for the production of high value spice, Saffron throughout the world.
According to official data of directorate of agriculture, 15.59 MT Saffron was produced on 5707 hectares of land in valley in 1996-97 while as the production and area came down to 12.88MT and 4116 respectively in 1998-99.
The downfall in the production of Saffron gets confirmed by its reduced productivity. Valley produced 3.59MT (metric ton) in 2000-01, 0.3MT in 2001-02, 6.05MT in 2002-03, 5.15MT in 2003-04, 6.86MT, 7.50MT, 6.50MT, 8.20MT, 7.70 MT and 9.46MT respectively in 2004-05 up to 2009-10.
Jammu and Kashmir is consecutively loosing the land area which is especially used for producing the high value spice. The area, according to official data, on which saffron is produced, has come down to only 3785 hectares of land.
According to experts, “The productivity of Saffron is low mainly because it is grown as rain fed and as we get lesser rainfall so soils are thirsty, unfertile and overloaded with pathogenic fungi and rodents”.
“To improve the production and productivity, production system need to be upgraded and replaced with new elite high yielding clones and intensive production and protection technologies including the large scale production of quality flower bearing corms and it’s post harvest management so that the production and productivity gets doubled,” the experts said.
In Kashmir, the saffron cultivation begins first by the preparation of the fields in early July. The earth is tilled with the traditional hoe or tractors and from the loosened earth raised beds of convenient size formed which provides good soil aeration and drainage on which corms are planted. By the end of the October month the blossoms are in full bloom.
