The area under Saffron cultivation decreased from 5707 hectares in 1996 to 3715 hectares coupled with traditional farming methods as well as uncertainties of weather followed by disease which has not only resulted in dropping in the yield but making the venture less profitable. A Rs. 400.11 crore project under Centrally sponsored National Saffron Mission was launched 9 years ago in Kashmir but it failed to take off and farmers still depend on the vagaries of the weather.
The said project was to be completed in 2014 but despite getting two extensions in 2015-16 and 2017-18 respectively, the project is yet to be completed. The project, inter alia had 126 wells to be dug out to access ground water in underground aquifers to irrigate saffron fields and sprinklers were proposed to be connected with them. The Mechanical Engineering Department was tasked to take up the work and Rs. 1885 lac was sanctioned to them for procurement of required material.
We have reliably learnt that so far only 12 sprinkles are handed over to the Department and out of which only one is functional. Well No. 72 was made functional by local farmers and it has shown encouraging results and led to an increase in the saffron yield. The saffron growers feel that the delay in the implementation of the project led to suffering of losses worth crores of Rupees during past few years. They are still apprehensive about the functioning of the project and want the project to be subjected to the requisite testing etc and verification of quality before putting to use or made functional.
However, it is being heard that by the end of March this year as many as 80 to 86 wells with sprinkle irrigation system will be handed over to the State Agricultural Department for the designated purpose. Kashmir saffron is famous worldwide and all efforts possible are needed to be taken so that the saffron with a special aroma and other qualities not only is saved from its onslaughts from within but its produce is improved in quality as well in quantity and the “Saffron Mission” is fairly aiming towards that end.
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