J&K halts saffron decline, focuses on expansion, irrigation gaps: Javed Dar

Srinagar, March 04: Agriculture Minister Javed Ahmed Dar informed the House on Monday that the Jammu and Kashmir government has successfully prevented the decline in saffron cultivation, maintaining the saffron-growing area at 3,715 hectares.
Dar was responding to a question raised by National Conference MLA Justice Hasnain Masoodi. He also said that new areas have been identified for expansion.
He said that the National Mission on Saffron has played a key role in reviving saffron farming in J&K, increasing both productivity and farmers’ income.
Dar said that saffron productivity has improved significantly due to modern techniques, rising from 2.50 kg per hectare in 2009-10 to 4.42 kg per hectare in 2023. He also said that the establishment of the Indian Institute of Kashmir Saffron and Technology Centre (IIKSTC) and scientific drying methods have improved the quality of saffron.
The colour quality of saffron has increased from 8% (traditional drying) to 16% (scientific drying), he added.
The minister further said that the price of saffron rose from ₹80,000 per kg to ₹2,20,000 per kg in 2021-22. The saffron stigma recovery rate also improved from 22 grams per kilo to 28 grams per kilo, boosting overall yield.
He said that the National Mission on Saffron had proposed the construction of 124 community bore-wells, each serving 30 hectares, to provide sprinkler irrigation for 3,665 hectares of saffron fields. However, operational costs remain a major concern, as many farmers find maintenance expenses too high.
“Several bore-wells and irrigation systems have been damaged, and reports of land encroachments by real estate developers have been received,” he said, adding that a government committee found that only eight bore-wells—four each in Srinagar and Budgam—are functional, while 77 remain non-operational.
Providing details on the financial investment in saffron cultivation, the minister said that the mission was launched in 2010-11 with a total budget of ₹400.11 crore. Of this, ₹315.99 crore was contributed by the Government of India and ₹84.12 crore by farmers. So far, ₹269.91 crore has been released, with ₹259.67 crore already spent.
He also said that an e-auction system has been introduced to eliminate middlemen and ensure fair pricing for saffron growers across India which has brought transparency to transactions and helped farmers get better prices at the farm gate.
Dar further said that while challenges remain, especially in irrigation, the government is committed to resolve them. To enhance farmer participation in policy decisions, committees comprising saffron growers, traders, and civil society members have been formed to incorporate their views, he said.
“The success of the saffron mission depends on continued engagement with farmers, better irrigation facilities, and protection against land encroachment,” the minister added.