Harsh Manish Patil Cultivates Kashmir-Quality Saffron in Nandurbar, Selling at ₹1,000 Per Gram and Redefining India’s Spice Farming

H arsh Manish Patil from Nandurbar grows Kashmir-like saffron using controlled environment farming in Maharashtra’s hot climate.

In a remarkable agricultural innovation, an engineering student from Maharashtra has successfully cultivated saffron—traditionally grown in the cold climate of Kashmir—using modern farming techniques. Harsh Manish Patil from Nandurbar district initiated the saffron farm and has achieved a market value of nearly ₹1,000 per gram for the crop.

Saffron, known as the world’s most expensive spice, requires low temperatures and a specific climate, usually found in the Kashmir Valley. However, Patil adopted a controlled environment farming method, where temperature, humidity, and light are artificially regulated to mimic Kashmir-like conditions. This allowed saffron c