Srinagar, Nov 10: Many saffron farmers in Kashmir have turned to indoor saffron farming after a SKUAST-K research initiative proved successful and the farmers are reaping good produce.
Abdul Majeed a saffron farmer hailing from Shali area of Pampore started indoor saffron farming three years ago and is getting good crop results.
A group of farmers from different areas of Kashmir were encouraged to go for indoor saffron farming by SKUAST-K after it researched that indoor saffron farming was possible in the valley.
“I started in one room for which I was provided trays and racks by SKUAST-K in the form of a unit. This year, in the same room, I cultivated nearly 500 grams of saffron after drying,” he said.
The farmer said they put the saffron corms in trays in spring and later after harvest the same corms are put in the soil till, they grow roots until March.
“We are trying that those people who do not own land can also do it at home without any issue and it could be done in all areas of Kashmir. It only needs healthy seed and a fully ventilated room,” the 60-year-old farmer said.
Majeed is already cultivating saffron on nearly 15 kanals of land on which he cultivates nearly 4 kilograms of saffron each year.
Similarly, Ali Muhammad from Charar-e-Sharief Budgam has been growing saffron for a long time and this year he started indoor saffron farming with the help of SKUAT-K.
“I started growing saffron in a high-density apple orchard five years ago. This year I tried indoor saffron farming and started with 80 saffron corms. I expect to get around 40-50 grams in one room as the drying process is going,” he said.
“Indoor saffron farming is less laborious than outdoor. For indoor saffron farming, there should be some technology by which we can do everything in a room. Today we take corms back to the soil during winter and take out in spring and put them in trays,” he said.
The award-winning farmer said that indoor farming is not susceptible to damage caused by natural calamities which happen in Kashmir a Himalayan region.
Dr Bashir Ahmad Allie, who heads SKUAST-K’s Advance Research Station for Saffron and Seed Spices at Dusso Pampore said in 2018, they started a research initiative to explore indoor saffron farming.
“Initially, we experimented at our Research Station to see whether we can grow saffron indoors or not. Then we did experiments for two years and it proved successful. The same experiment was demonstrated to farmers,” he said.
Dr Bashir said in 2021-22 they took the experiment and the related technology to the farmers and provided 12 units to saffron farmers in many areas of Kashmir to popularize the concept among the farmer community and it is getting good results.
“Farming in Kashmir is susceptible to damage caused by natural calamities including untimely rains which affect the saffron produce. It has been seen that the saffron produce in indoor saffron farming is in good quality as compared to open saffron,” he said.
The saffron expert said indoor saffron farming is proving more beneficial for the farmers and it can be done in any area of Kashmir.
“Farmers across Kashmir can do indoor saffron farming. They just need to have a room where they can put the corms in June month and grow it,” he said.
