The Heritage Saffron Crop is on a Decline in Kashmir

 PAMPORE (Kashmir) —  

“The end seems nigh,” says Bashir Ahmad Rather- in a voice oozing disappointment. 

This sense of loss is ubiquitous in Kashmir. The whole valley seems draped in it, and for many, who call the conflict-ravaged region their home, the fear of ‘losing’ is perpetual. And pervasive.

 Caught in the decades of political turbulence and violence- with roaring guns and deafening explosions almost a daily affair- oftentimes that ‘fear of losing’ is associated with human lives; of oneself or a dear one. But for 55-year-old Rather, amidst all the turmoil, it is the art of growing saffron- that his family in the disputed Himalayan territory has preserved for generations- he fears is facing an untimely end.

 “Perhaps it (Saffron cultivation) is one of the few things that conflict left untouched, yet it seems dying a slow death,” Rather’s  nephew Kamran pitches in.

For generations, both Rather and Kamran’s family have been farming the world’s most valuable spice on their ancestral land in Pampore- famously known as the ‘Saffron town’ of Kashmir. But now, they are unsure whether the centuries-old family tradition will continue.

Kashmiri saffron or Zaffran as it is locally called, is the stigma derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, which is then dried and used as a seasoning agent for many South Asian and Mediterranean dishes. Largely believed to be brought to Kashmir by Iranian saints on missionary expeditions to the region, a kilogram of Zaffran can cost up to USD 3000, making it one of the costliest spice in the world. But the growers of the exotic spice say they share little dividends.

“The produce has dwindled over the years and it is becoming increasingly difficult to survive on saffron cultivation only, especially for families who are solely dependent on it, ” Rather told Zenger. 

“A few relatives have started converting saffron fields into horticulture lands- sowing apple and almond samplings in their saffron fields. It hurts, but there seems to be a no way out.”

Local Saffron growers from the region say flooding of Indian markets by Iranian saffron which is inferior to their grade is passed off as Kashmiri and then sold at lower rates- hampering their reputation and business. Kashmiri saffron is considered to have a stronger aroma and higher nutrients when compared to Iranian saffron.

“Our rates are double compared to it (Iranian saffron). But many traders add different chemical syrups to Iranian saffron and then sell it as Kashmiri Saffron. This has badly affected our trade,” said Kamran while referring to the adulteration of the spice by marketers.

  Iran grows 90% of the world’s produce, whereas India yields close to 5%, most of which is cultivated in the Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir. Countries like Greece, Afghanistan, Morocco, Spain, and Italy also produce Saffron, albeit in very small quantities. Kashmiri saffron growers feel that little has been done to preserve their distinct grade which is better in flavor and color than the rest.

Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi, Director of the Agriculture department of the region, however, assures that the situation is going to change soon. 

” We have managed to get the GI tag for our saffron. Now the issue adulteration is solved for once and all,” Andrabi said, speaking to Zenger.

In July, this year the saffron produced in Kashmir was accorded an international Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which certifies the origin of the spice and ensures none other than Kashmiri growers are allowed to use their product name. 

As per WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) GI tags are “indications which identify a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a region or a locality in that territory, where a given quality, reputation or characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.”

However, many local farmers are not very hopeful that it will help in arresting the decline of the prized cash crop.

. Tajamul Bashir, President of the local Kashmir Saffron Growers body blames unnecessary government intervention as the primary cause for the decline of cultivation.

“Since the National Saffron Mission was started a decade back, everything is under government control. They tell us what seeds to sow, when to irrigate and where to sell, yet they have failed to increase the produce. In fact, it has declined drastically. Earlier a kanal (1/8 of an acre) of land would fetch 400 grams of saffron, now we don’t even get 200 grams,” Bashir said..  

As per various reports, the total area under saffron cultivation in Kashmir declined to 3,700 hectares in 2010-11, from the 5,700 hectares in 1996. Saffron production has also declined from 16 metric tons to less than six metric tons in the last two decades.

In 2010, the government had launched the much-hyped National Saffron Mission (NSM) to boost saffron cultivation, but the response of farmers from the region indicates that it proved to be a big failure. 

“Most of the people have resorted back to traditional farming in a hope that their heritage is saved,” Bashir said.

However, not many in the region are sure whether the tradition of Saffron cultivation would survive. 

“I tried all my life to preserve it with a sense of responsibility that the skill was passed on to me. But this generation is different. Why would my children take so much pain for no or little returns?” said Rather.

“They would definitely prefer some private job instead.”

With a discernible generational rift, many traditional saffron growing families in Kashmir are now outsourcing the tilling work to cheap non-local labourers who aren’t aware of the intricacies of the process and end up injuring saffron seeds – rendering them as a waste.

“Cultivating Saffron is an art, not everyone can do this. It has taken years of experiential training for us to learn these skills. How can we suddenly expect unskilled labourers from the plains to do what we have learned over years? “

“The saffron flowers are so scant in the fields now,” rues Rather. “The heritage is plunging into twilight.” 

(Edited by Sid Roy and Anindita Ghosh)