Srinagar, Oct 22: Saffron growers in Kashmir have their fingers crossed as they approach the harvesting season, hoping recent rainfall will help revive the crop after weeks of dry weather threatened to affect flowering in the region’s saffron belt.
The high-altitude Karewa lands of Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have begun witnessing the emergence of saffron flowers, with harvesting expected to begin this week.
“We hope to reap a better crop than last year,” said Abdul Majeed, a saffron cultivator from Lethpora, a village in the Pampore’s saffron belt.
Hundreds of saffron growers in the area had been worried by a prolonged dry spell that extended through September and into October, leaving fields parched during a crucial stage of the crop’s growth.
However, rainfall a few days ago brought some relief to farmers and revived hopes of a better harvest.
“The rainfall, though brief, provided much-needed relief to us,” Majeed said.
Growers said they had feared a near-total crop loss if the dry conditions continued, as saffron cultivation depends heavily on suitable soil moisture and favourable weather during the flowering season.
Saffron, one of Kashmir’s most valuable agricultural products, is cultivated mainly on the Karewa plateaus of Pampore, where the region’s soil and climatic conditions support the growth of the delicate purple flowers.
The flowers are harvested by hand, and their red stigmas are carefully separated and dried to produce the prized spice.
The flowering and harvesting period is crucial for growers, as the number of flowers that emerge and the quality of their stigmas determine the final yield and returns.
Farmers said the recent showers had raised their expectations, although they remained cautious about the eventual outcome of the harvest.
Much will depend on weather conditions in the coming weeks, when the flowers emerge and are collected.
The optimism comes after a disappointing season last year, when growers reported a sharp decline in production.
According to farmers, output fell by nearly 95 percent, which they attributed to adverse weather conditions and the continued conversion of saffron-growing land for other uses.
Growers have increasingly expressed concern over the impact of changing weather patterns on saffron cultivation, with irregular rainfall and prolonged dry spells adding to the uncertainties associated with the crop.
Land conversion has emerged as another concern in Pampore, where urbanisation and other development activities have put pressure on traditional saffron fields.
Farmers fear that the shrinking area under cultivation could further undermine production and threaten the livelihoods of families dependent on the crop.
Saffron cultivation is labour-intensive, requiring growers to tend the fields and harvest the flowers within a short period.
For growers in Pampore, the recent rainfall has offered a measure of relief after weeks of anxiety.
But with harvesting yet to gather pace, they are waiting to see whether the improved soil moisture translates into a better crop.
“We are hoping that the weather remains favourable during the harvesting period,” Majeed said.
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