Low-cost Iranian variety takes heavy toll on Kashmiri saffron

Srinagar, Nov 7: The Kashmiri saffron, known for its superior quality and high medicinal value, is facing a serious threat from the low-cost Iranian variety that has swamped both the Indian and international markets over the years.

Iran claims to produce more than 80 per cent of the world's saffron and enjoy the biggest share of land development in cultivation. The land under cultivation there has doubled during the past ten years and the production ranges between 150 to 230 tonnes annually.

Iran also claims that its saffron was being exported to India and several European Union states in bulk and sold under their trade names, especially Spain, after its packaging was changed.

Spain is also among the world's largest saffron producer along with Iran and India.

The Kashmiri Saffron is best known for its aphrodisiac properties and used in ayurvedic medicines for cure of various diseases such as arthritis, impotency and infertility. It has an extremely dark maroonish-purple hue and is among the world's darkest which suggests its strong flavour, aroma and colouring power.

Kashmir once had around 4,000-5,000 hectares of land under saffron cultivation, producing nearly 150 quintals of crop every year and more than 5,000 families were involved in its farming.

The high-quality saffron is mainly grown in Pampore area, about 10 km from here. It used to be the most important cash crop of the Valley till some years ago and fetched good returns to growers.

However, the demand for Kashmiri saffron has been on the decline during the past six to seven years. The main reason being that the low cost Iranian variety has flooded the markets across the world.

While the Kashmiri saffron is priced at around Rs 36,000 per kg, the Iranian variety sells for Rs 20,000-25,000.

Aijaz Ahmed Mir, a leading saffron trader, said about 15 tonnes of saffron is being produced every year in Kashmir nowadays while the demand in the Indian market stood at 50 tonnes. Out of the 190 tonnes produced in Iran, he said 100 tonnes reach the Indian markets every year. He said adulteration and unchecked import of the cheaper Iranian variety have taken a heavy toll on the saffron industry in Kashmir.

He said most of the middlemen and traders buy synthetic paper, known as pujapati, from Amritsar and then colour it to give a look of a saffron stigma. The paper costs around Rs 500 per kg. The corn fibre is also coloured to give the shape of saffron stigma.

Mr Mir said smoke and dust emanating from several cement factories and limestone mines around Pampore area have badly affected the production of Kashmiri saffron. Tonnes of lethal pollutants were being added to the atmosphere daily, he said, adding the emissions have not only polluted the land, air and water, but deteriorated the soil quality as well.

''For many years now, there has been a significant decrease in the per hectare yield of saffron forcing the farmers to abandon the cultivation of the crop and sell their land on which huge constructions are being raised,'' Mr Mir said.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has proposed to enact a law prohibiting any construction on saffron fields and check adulteration and boost the production of the crop.

Recently, state Agriculture Minister Abdul Aziz Zargar stressed the need for boosting the saffron crop on scientific lines to meet the modern day challenges.

He said a comprehensive Rs 102 crore project had been submitted to the Centre in 2005 to encourage farmers to grow more saffron and provide sprinkling irrigation facilities, genetically improved quality seed material and also incentives to growers.

Mr Zargar said the central government after proper study recommended the proposal to the Food and Agriculture Organisation for further action. The organisation later deputed Chief Consultant Dr G L Koul to the state to see the conditions conducive for revival of saffron, he added.

Dr Koul would submit a comprehensive report to Food and Agriculture Organisation for adoption of technology and also to make it highly remunerable and profitable.

The Minister expressed the hope that such measures would help the state government in revival of the heritage saffron.

He appealed to the saffron growers not to sell their land for industrial and residential purposes and assured them that both the state government and the Centre would leave no stone unturned in helping farmers to produce more high-quality crop and thereby improve their economic condition.

UNI