It's after a decade that Kashmir's saffron farmers are overjoyed with the saffron produce this year. Farmers are calling it a bumper harvest as the production has surpassed the record for the last ten years. The saffron fields in the valley have turned into an expansive purple canvas and it's a treat for the eyes of locals as well as tourists.&nbsp;

The Pampore area in South Kashmir's Pulwama district also known as the Saffron town is one of the main producers of saffron in Kashmir Valley. Thousands of families in this area are associated with the world's best and most expensive spice. And these days all these families are busy plucking the saffron flowers from the fields.&nbsp;

Kashmir has more than 3700 hectares of land under the cultivation of saffron. The Pampore area in Pulwama is the main hub for growing saffron. Although now it's being cultivated across different districts of Kashmir valley as well. Farmers in Pampore are extremely happy about the crop this year.

''This year, there has been a bumper crop after more than 8-10 years.&nbsp;We haven't seen this kind of crop in so many years. A lot of farmers had no hope that the crop would be any better than previous years but it has surpassed all our expectations. Saffron is a livelihood for all of us living in the area. People had shifted to other jobs but this year the environmental factors were great. The rain played a major role due to which we got the bumper crop after a decade,'' said Dr Ubaid Bashir, Owner PariMahal Saffrons.

The tourists visiting the valley are stopping at these saffron farms to experience the process of saffron farming in the Valley. A lot of tourists are buying the saffron from these farms as well.

''It's such a great experience for us. We have always consumed saffron but now we know why it is so expensive. It takes a lot of hard work to grow saffron. It's a flower and only a few strands come out from one flower, it's a very unique experience. It's for the first time we are seeing Kashmiri saffron farms as it's called the best saffron in the world,'' said Sandeep, a tourist.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;tourists are appreciative of the farmers growing saffron in the Valley. Saffron is used on&nbsp;a lot of occasions in India. Whether it's the puja or making sweets for the festivals,&nbsp;its use is considered very auspicious.

''All our festivals, especially Diwali, use a lot of saffron. We have been using Kashmiri saffron daily, especially putting in milk for our kids. We are so happy to see the farms today and it's a unique experience,'' said Hetal, a tourist.&nbsp;

GI tag has benefitted the saffron farmers with quality control as well as the pricing.

It's after a decade that Kashmir's saffron farmers are overjoyed with the saffron produce this year. Farmers are calling it a bumper harvest as the production has surpassed the record for the last ten years.

It's after a decade that Kashmir's saffron farmers are overjoyed with the saffron produce this year. Farmers are calling it a bumper harvest as the production has surpassed the record for the last ten years. The saffron fields in the valley have turned into an expansive purple canvas and it's a treat for the eyes of locals as well as tourists. The Pampore area in South Kashmir's Pulwama district also known as the Saffron town is one of the main producers of saffron in Kashmir Valley. Thousands of families in this area are associated with the world's best and most expensive spice. And these days all these families are busy plucking the saffron flowers from the fields. Kashmir has more than 3700 hectares of land under the cultivation of saffron. The Pampore area in Pulwama is the main hub for growing saffron. Although now it's being cultivated across different districts of Kashmir valley as well. Farmers in Pampore are extremely happy about the crop this year. ''This year, there has been a bumper crop after more than 8-10 years. We haven't seen this kind of crop in so many years. A lot of farmers had no hope that the crop would be any better than previous years but it has surpassed all our expectations. Saffron is a livelihood for all of us living in the area. People had shifted to other jobs but this year the environmental factors were great. The rain played a major role due to which we got the bumper crop after a decade,'' said Dr Ubaid Bashir, Owner PariMahal Saffrons. The tourists visiting the valley are stopping at these saffron farms to experience the process of saffron farming in the Valley. A lot of tourists are buying the saffron from these farms as well. ''It's such a great experience for us. We have always consumed saffron but now we know why it is so expensive. It takes a lot of hard work to grow saffron. It's a flower and only a few strands come out from one flower, it's a very unique experience. It's for the first time we are seeing Kashmiri saffron farms as it's called the best saffron in the world,'' said Sandeep, a tourist. The tourists are appreciative of the farmers growing saffron in the Valley. Saffron is used on a lot of occasions in India. Whether it's the puja or making sweets for the festivals, its use is considered very auspicious. ''All our festivals, especially Diwali, use a lot of saffron. We have been using Kashmiri saffron daily, especially putting in milk for our kids. We are so happy to see the farms today and it's a unique experience,'' said Hetal, a tourist. GI tag has benefitted the saffron farmers with quality control as well as the pricing.

Kashmir: Bumper saffron harvest after a decade, farmers joyous

After years, the saffron farmers of Kashmir valley are happy. It's a bumper crop this year. The late rains across the Kashmir Valley, have helped the farmers with the best produce after a long time.&nbsp;

Farmers associated with saffron are busy plucking the saffron flowers from the fields. Around 3700 hectares of land are being used for the cultivation of the crop. The Pampore area in Pulwama is the main hub, although now the crop is being cultivated across different districts of Kashmir valley as well.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/life-to-net-zero-emissions-key-takeaways-from-pm-modis-historic-cop26-speech-426012" hreflang="en">'LIFE' to 'net zero emissions: Key takeaways from PM Modi's historic COP26 speech</a>

''It's a good harvest this season, the produce is much better than the previous years. It was really less in the last 5-6 years, but this year due to rainfall it is a good harvest. Kashmir saffron is of the best quality and it has a lot of medicinal properties. We are hoping that the government will help us to market the saffron. The GI Tag will help us a lot. The rains are the main factor for the increase in the produce'' says a farmer, Zahoor Ahmad Kuchay.&nbsp;

The farmers have been demanding that the rates of saffron should be revised. With everything becoming expensive in the market and also the process involved in growing and processing saffron, the saffron farmers say the rates need to be increased for them to sustain.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-appeals-to-farmers-not-to-hoard-fertilisers-425948" hreflang="en">Government appeals to farmers not to hoard fertilisers</a>

''This year the produce is much better than last year. We are hopeful the market will grow since we have a lot of production this year. The saffron rates are not growing, and we want the government to intervene to increase the rates. It's very expensive to grow saffron and we need the government to revise the rates. We have been demanding it for a long time now&nbsp;'' said Sahil Ahmad Yatoo, Farmer.&nbsp;

The tourists coming to Kashmir Valley are visiting these saffron farms. For some of them, this was their first exposure to saffron farming and they were impressed with the farmers' efforts.&nbsp;

''I am seeing it for the first time. Kashmir is famous for saffron and I am getting happy to see the saffron flowers. It's beautiful and now I see how difficult it is to grow. Salute to the farmers who are growing it. We use it in making desserts, pregnant women have it. It has a lot of nutritional value. '' said Rukesh, Tourist.&nbsp;

The government has also begun GI tagging Kashmir Saffron, which will boost sales of saffron across the world.&nbsp;

After years, the saffron farmers of Kashmir valley are happy. It's a bumper crop this year. The late rains across the Kashmir Valley, have helped the farmers with the best produce after a long time.

After years, the saffron farmers of Kashmir valley are happy. It's a bumper crop this year. The late rains across the Kashmir Valley, have helped the farmers with the best produce after a long time. Farmers associated with saffron are busy plucking the saffron flowers from the fields. Around 3700 hectares of land are being used for the cultivation of the crop. The Pampore area in Pulwama is the main hub, although now the crop is being cultivated across different districts of Kashmir valley as well. Also read | 'LIFE' to 'net zero emissions: Key takeaways from PM Modi's historic COP26 speech ''It's a good harvest this season, the produce is much better than the previous years. It was really less in the last 5-6 years, but this year due to rainfall it is a good harvest. Kashmir saffron is of the best quality and it has a lot of medicinal properties. We are hoping that the government will help us to market the saffron. The GI Tag will help us a lot. The rains are the main factor for the increase in the produce'' says a farmer, Zahoor Ahmad Kuchay. The farmers have been demanding that the rates of saffron should be revised. With everything becoming expensive in the market and also the process involved in growing and processing saffron, the saffron farmers say the rates need to be increased for them to sustain. Also read | Government appeals to farmers not to hoard fertilisers ''This year the produce is much better than last year. We are hopeful the market will grow since we have a lot of production this year. The saffron rates are not growing, and we want the government to intervene to increase the rates. It's very expensive to grow saffron and we need the government to revise the rates. We have been demanding it for a long time now '' said Sahil Ahmad Yatoo, Farmer. The tourists coming to Kashmir Valley are visiting these saffron farms. For some of them, this was their first exposure to saffron farming and they were impressed with the farmers' efforts. ''I am seeing it for the first time. Kashmir is famous for saffron and I am getting happy to see the saffron flowers. It's beautiful and now I see how difficult it is to grow. Salute to the farmers who are growing it. We use it in making desserts, pregnant women have it. It has a lot of nutritional value. '' said Rukesh, Tourist. The government has also begun GI tagging Kashmir Saffron, which will boost sales of saffron across the world.

After years Kashmir sees a bumper harvest of saffron

A new saffron park has been started just for the sole purpose of processing and promoting the sale of saffron from the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;

To give a boost to saffron farming in the Kashmir valley, the government of India has initiated new schemes and techniques for its promotion. With the introduction of GI Tagging and new techniques of processing, the quality of Kashmir's saffron has been raised to be among the top in the world.

A new saffron park has been started just for the sole purpose of processing and promoting the sale of saffron from the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;

"We test the samples that we get here. There are 8 parameters we test these samples on, which are internationally recognized. Our lab is recognised across the world. The 8 parameters include moisture, extraneous matter and foreign matter, and total ash and three main characteristics. We grade them and then we do an e-auction. The farmers get the flowers and then we do the stigma separation and then we do the vacuum drying. Traditionally, farmers used to dry the saffron under shade at home, but due to that, the saffron used to lose its main components. We save all the parameters which help us to get the best grade. Our saffron is better than Spain and Iranian saffron. " said Dr Majid Ali, Deputy Technical Manager.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="saffron" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c000ab28-7f4f-4111-af03-f00fd7088119" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Image%282%29.jpeg" />

The saffron flowers are sent to this laboratory where scientists with all new technology process them and can retain the finest quality. With this quality assurance and GI Tagging, the government can sell the products on all national and international platforms.&nbsp;

"Anytime a laboratory or institution checks the quality of a product, they have to survey the establishment. There are many procedures that ensure the quality and quantity of the product. There are many schemes and standard operating procedures. 
 
<img alt="saffron" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="97f65c3b-969b-458e-b22c-3642a9767aec" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Image%281%29.jpeg" />

If we want to get these products recognised on international platforms, we have to follow these steps. It's not a cumbersome process, but it's a process that ensures the quality, quantity, and income of the farmers. SOP is made for people to benefit the people, so in that way, there are many processes and camps where we are aware of the farmers, "said Baseer Ul Chaudhary, DC Pulwama.&nbsp;

With this step, the farmers and retailers of the Kashmir valley are extremely happy. They say it will benefit the farmers directly and they can sell the product despite lockdowns.&nbsp;

"It's very good for us. The farmers were not satisfied with the money they would get for their produce. If there is a good price for it, it will help. Due to COVID-19, there were problems. Now if we could sell it online, it would be a lot more beneficial. We have been personally selling it online and if the government also did the same, it would help, "said Wahid Bhat, a farmer and retailer.

Tourists coming to the Kashmir valley always buy saffron on their visit. But with initiative now, they can buy the best quality saffron online. They say it will be very helpful.&nbsp;

"Since childhood, we have heard about it and we get it every year. It's very good quality. If it's as good quality as we get from Kashmir, then it's very helpful. Then you don't need to wait long to get the best quality. It is good for the farmers also, as due to COVID-19, tourism has come to a halt. The farmers will not have to suffer from it. The product will not have to suffer. "said Nidhi Aggarwal, a tourist.&nbsp;

These new initiatives by the government of India will benefit the farmers as well as the retailers in the Kashmir valley.

A new saffron park has been started just for the sole purpose of processing and promoting the sale of saffron from the Kashmir Valley. To give a boost to saffron farming in the Kashmir valley, the government of India has initiated new schemes and techniques for its promotion.

A new saffron park has been started just for the sole purpose of processing and promoting the sale of saffron from the Kashmir Valley. To give a boost to saffron farming in the Kashmir valley, the government of India has initiated new schemes and techniques for its promotion. With the introduction of GI Tagging and new techniques of processing, the quality of Kashmir's saffron has been raised to be among the top in the world. A new saffron park has been started just for the sole purpose of processing and promoting the sale of saffron from the Kashmir Valley. "We test the samples that we get here. There are 8 parameters we test these samples on, which are internationally recognized. Our lab is recognised across the world. The 8 parameters include moisture, extraneous matter and foreign matter, and total ash and three main characteristics. We grade them and then we do an e-auction. The farmers get the flowers and then we do the stigma separation and then we do the vacuum drying. Traditionally, farmers used to dry the saffron under shade at home, but due to that, the saffron used to lose its main components. We save all the parameters which help us to get the best grade. Our saffron is better than Spain and Iranian saffron. " said Dr Majid Ali, Deputy Technical Manager. The saffron flowers are sent to this laboratory where scientists with all new technology process them and can retain the finest quality. With this quality assurance and GI Tagging, the government can sell the products on all national and international platforms. "Anytime a laboratory or institution checks the quality of a product, they have to survey the establishment. There are many procedures that ensure the quality and quantity of the product. There are many schemes and standard operating procedures. If we want to get these products recognised on international platforms, we have to follow these steps. It's not a cumbersome process, but it's a process that ensures the quality, quantity, and income of the farmers. SOP is made for people to benefit the people, so in that way, there are many processes and camps where we are aware of the farmers, "said Baseer Ul Chaudhary, DC Pulwama. With this step, the farmers and retailers of the Kashmir valley are extremely happy. They say it will benefit the farmers directly and they can sell the product despite lockdowns. "It's very good for us. The farmers were not satisfied with the money they would get for their produce. If there is a good price for it, it will help. Due to COVID-19, there were problems. Now if we could sell it online, it would be a lot more beneficial. We have been personally selling it online and if the government also did the same, it would help, "said Wahid Bhat, a farmer and retailer. Tourists coming to the Kashmir valley always buy saffron on their visit. But with initiative now, they can buy the best quality saffron online. They say it will be very helpful. "Since childhood, we have heard about it and we get it every year. It's very good quality. If it's as good quality as we get from Kashmir, then it's very helpful. Then you don't need to wait long to get the best quality. It is good for the farmers also, as due to COVID-19, tourism has come to a halt. The farmers will not have to suffer from it. The product will not have to suffer. "said Nidhi Aggarwal, a tourist. These new initiatives by the government of India will benefit the farmers as well as the retailers in the Kashmir valley.

Kashmir’s famous saffron farming gets a boost with new initiatives by the Government of India

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Kashmir: Bumper saffron harvest after a decade, farmers joyous

After years Kashmir sees a bumper harvest of saffron

Kashmir’s famous saffron farming gets a boost with new initiatives by the Government of India