Shopian’s progressive farmer successfully harvests Saffron for second year

Shopian, Oct 24: Haroon Rashid, an elderly farmer from Vehil village in South Kashmir’s Shopian district, has gained recognition for successfully harvesting saffron for the second consecutive year. Traditionally known for producing high-quality apples, Shopian has rarely been associated with saffron cultivation—until now.
Haroon, admired for his innovative farming methods, has introduced saffron cultivation to his Shopian by using a unique approach. He grows saffron on the terrace of his two-storey house through the ultra-high-density plantation method.
“I’ve earmarked a small patch on the terrace, 5 feet wide and 12 feet long, for saffron cultivation,” Haroon explained, “ despite the small size, the yield from this terrace patch is equivalent to that of a full kanal of land cultivated traditionally.”
The farmer recalled how, like many in Shopian, he once yearned to visit the Pampore Karewas, the heartland of saffron cultivation, to see the famous saffron flowers. However, since 2023, he has managed to bring that experience closer to home by successfully harvesting saffron flowers on his own terrace.
This season, Haroon has already harvested four turns of fresh flowers, and he expects more blooms in the coming days.
“The corms bloomed on time because their moisture requirements were met through irrigation,” he said.
Haroon’s interest in indoor saffron cultivation sparked during a training program at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Shopian in Balpora. Guided by agricultural scientists, he adopted the use of horizontal trays for saffron cultivation.
He practices both indoor and open field cultivation of saffron.
Besides saffron, Haroon has transformed his terrace into a vibrant garden, growing a diverse range of crops, including non-native plants such as ginger, persimmon, kiwi, and vegetables like broccoli, capsicum, and Aloe Vera.