Srinagar, Oct 2: In an ambitious push to diversify agriculture in the high-altitude cold desert, the Ladakh Administration has launched a pilot saffron cultivation project, planting nearly 90,000 premium Iranian saffron corms on land that was previously barren in Leh.
The plantation was launched on Friday by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena at Spituk Pharka in Leh district, where around 800 kg of saffron corms have been planted across 4,000 square metres at Command Area Gate No. 27.
The initiative is being undertaken as an experiment to assess whether saffron, one of the world’s most valuable spice crops, can be successfully cultivated under Ladakh’s high-altitude agro-climatic conditions and eventually provide a viable source of additional income for farmers.
The corms selected for the pilot have a circumference of 8 to 10 cm, a diameter of 2.5 to 3 cm or more and a minimum weight of 10 grams each. The Administration said the quality and size of the corms were selected with the objective of achieving a productive plantation, while the actual yield will be assessed after the crop matures.
“I am pleased to announce an ambitious experiment of introducing saffron cultivation to Ladakh, for the very first time, on a large scale,” Saxena said.
“Building on the incredible success of our highest-altitude Lilium fields, we have sown 800 kg, i.e. 90,000 nos of premium, high-quality Iranian saffron corms, perfectly suited to our unique high-altitude agro-climatic conditions,” he said.
The plantation is part of a wider land-reclamation effort at Spituk, where nearly 800 acres of barren land are being rejuvenated by improving water availability and soil moisture.
The initiative has been facilitated by the restoration and operationalisation of the Igoo-Phey irrigation canal, which had remained unused for several years. Water from the canal is being channelled towards the previously barren areas to improve soil moisture and facilitate their conversion into cultivable land. The canal is designed to irrigate more than 4,300 hectares across several villages, providing a broader irrigation base for agricultural activity in the region.
The saffron experiment also forms part of Project Him Sarovar, a wider initiative of the Ladakh Administration aimed at improving water conservation and irrigation infrastructure by creating water bodies to capture snowmelt and enhance agricultural potential.
The Administration has been attempting to expand cultivation into areas previously considered difficult or unsuitable for farming. The saffron project is the latest such experiment, following trials involving high-value floriculture crops such as Lilium and Gladiolus.
The Administration has linked these initiatives to efforts to create new livelihood opportunities for farmers, Self-Help Groups and local entrepreneurs.
Saxena said the saffron project was aligned with efforts to diversify agriculture and improve the financial sustainability of farming communities.
“This landmark initiative is driven by Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of agricultural diversification for farmers’ financial sustainability and financial empowerment,” he said.
“This pioneering project has immense potential to strengthen our local economy, creating lucrative and sustainable new livelihood opportunities for our hardworking farmers, youth, and Self-Help Groups,” he added.
Saffron is already extensively cultivated in Jammu and Kashmir, which accounts for the overwhelming majority of India’s saffron production. Ladakh’s initiative, however, is aimed at determining whether the crop can adapt to its distinctly colder and higher-altitude conditions.
Unlike established saffron-growing areas of Kashmir, where cultivation has developed over generations, Ladakh’s plantation is still at an experimental stage. Its success will depend on factors including flowering, saffron yield, crop survival and the economic returns generated from the reclaimed land.
Agriculture experts associated with the initiative expect the selected corms to produce a significant quantity of saffron, but the final productivity can only be established after the crop completes its growing cycle.
The project therefore represents both an agricultural and land-restoration experiment: testing a high-value crop while demonstrating whether barren land in Ladakh can be converted into productive agricultural assets through improved irrigation and water conservation.
If the pilot proves successful, the Administration could explore expanding saffron cultivation to other suitable areas, potentially adding another high-value crop to Ladakh’s emerging agricultural and horticultural economy.
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