Kashmir’s Saffron Under Threat as Production Falls Sharply

SRINAGAR : As saffron growers in the Pampore area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district begin harvesting the world-famous spice, concerns are mounting over the steady decline in production despite timely rainfall this year. Follow Us On G -N e w s | Whatsapp

Growers fear that if immediate remedial steps are not taken, saffron cultivation in the region — known as the “saffron town of Kashmir” — may vanish completely by 2030.

Several farmers said that saffron yield has plummeted sharply, with last year’s harvest amounting to only 30 to 40 per cent of normal production. They attributed the fall to changing weather patterns, the absence of irrigation facilities, land conversion, and poor-quality saffron corms.

Abdul Ashiq Hussain, a grower from Pampore, said that altho