Pampore Saffron farmers urge govt to operationalize bore wells dug under NSM

Pampore: Saffron farmers from various villages of Pampore in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district have appealed to the government to operationalise bore wells dug nearly 14 years ago under the National Saffron Mission ( NSM).
The farmers stressed that assured irrigation is essential to sustain saffron farming amid climate change challenges.
Farmers reported a significant decline in the production of fresh saffron flowers this season, citing a prolonged dry spell as the main factor.
Ghulam Ahmad Ganie, a farmer from Pampore, noted a stark reduction in yield compared to last year. He attributed the low yield to delayed and inadequate rainfall.
“The government set up bore wells long ago, but they were never made functional, making irrigation impossible. We appeal to the government to activate these facilities,” he said.
Mohammad Arfat Ganie, another farmer, also reported lower yields and highlighted that his family has cultivated saffron for generations. He lamented that the lack of timely rainfall in September affected his crop.
“The bore wells were established to aid farmers, but they remain unused, leaving us without a reliable irrigation source. We request the government to operationalise these bore wells so we can irrigate our fields as needed. This will help improve productivity,” he said.
The challenges of low productivity are not only reducing profits but are also driving younger generations away from saffron farming.
“Many youths are moving away from saffron cultivation due to low returns,” said Arfat, who fears this trend could impact Pampore’s saffron heritage.
Adding to these sentiments, Mohammad Ashraf Ganie, another saffron farmer, described the hard labour of saffron farming as daunting, with farmers working under intense sunlight to maintain saffron beds.
“The yield this year is below expectations, and this makes the labour-intensive process even more difficult,” he said, urging the government to activate the bore wells or support farmers in digging their own wells to ensure better irrigation.
Chief Agriculture Officer Pulwama, Mohammad Iqbal Khan, said that saffron requires irrigation in August and September, periods during which adequate rainfall was recorded this year.
According to Khan, the bore wells were completed as per the DPR of the National Saffron Mission, but farmers were expected to take ownership of the wells once completed. “Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened,” he said, adding that around 77 bore wells are currently functional and available for use if farmers take their ownership.