October in Pampore district of Jammu and Kashmir is marked by the Valley being overcast by the delicate purple hue of flowers with threads of golden saffron. It’s this special spice that blesses the hot brew of Kahwa: a hot beverage consumed by the Kashmiris to keep warm in the difficult months of Kashmiri winters. I still remember the first time I had a brew of fresh heavenly Kahwa. It was during my trip to the Valley last year, at a quaint little shop run by an old Kashmiri businessman who told us with pride in his eyes that the saffron he uses comes from his own fields. It’s the authenticity that gives the Kahwa its entrancing aroma and flavour.
These red strands of saffron would lend their gold tint and fragrance to several Kashmiri delicacies such as Rista and Modur Pulav. Golden specks of saffron are sprinkled gently on the soft white bed of rice reminiscent of the view of the brilliant red sunrise from the mountain tops.
Origins of Kashmiri Saffron
Saffron has been growing in the state of Kashmir for centuries, with Pampore housing the perfect macro- and microenvironment for its growth. In the 11 th and 12 th centuries, according to a Kashmiri legend, two Sufi saints – Khawaja Masood Wali and Sheikh Sharif-u-din Wali– fell ill and implored the local tribal chieftain for a cure. After receiving the cure, the saints gifted the chieftain a bulb of saffron crocus for his generosity and since then it has been growing in the region. Even today, prayers are offered at the shrine and tomb of these two saints in Pampore during the harvest season.
Culture of Saffron
Saffron cultivation is an integral part of Kashmiri culture. The months of fall each year bring together the families which harvest hundreds of saffron flowers, beginning early in the morning. Each flower gives precisely three strands of saffron. The process is for sure painstaking, which explains why it is so expensive. The stigmas give the supreme grade quality of saffron; inferior to it is the stamen of the flower. The petals of these flowers are utilized by the workers to be eaten as vegetables and the stems serve as feed to the animals, thus making the picking of these flowers a zero-waste endeavour.
To give impetus to saffron cultivation and export, the government of Jammu and Kashmir has come up with a three-day “Saffron Festival” which involves cultural performances and where the tourists get an opportunity to not only visit fields of saffron but also buy it directly from the growers.
Obstacles and Hurdles
2017 witnessed the lowest yield in 14 years as a result of prolonged dry summers. A jarring decline of over 90% highlighted the complete failure of the government’s very ambitious National Saffron Mission, 2010 (which aimed to double saffron production). Not only did the State Government fail in fulfilling its promises, but it also turned a blind eye to rampant land encroachment.
Residential complexes are being built on saffron farms despite the Saffron Act, 2007 being passed against this activity. According to a report by the Daily Excelsior (the largest circulated daily of Jammu and Kashmir), the land under saffron cultivation has reduced from 5,000 acres to a mere 3,715 acres. Pollution due to dust from cement factories, land acquisition by the National Highway Authority of India, and adulteration of saffron are other factors contributing to the low production and impoverishment of the cultivators.
Strands of Hope
According to Dr Imtiyaz ul Haq and Asif Tariq working with the Department of Economics at the Central University of Kashmir, saffron production can be improved by as much as 40% by just making the utilization of present technology more efficient. It still would be much less in comparison to countries like Iran and Spain who are world leaders in saffron production and who produce upwards of 4 kg per hectare in comparison to the mere 1 kg per hectare in Kashmir. One of the most important steps by the government should be to provide drip irrigation systems in the saffron fields to reduce the dependence of the crop on the unreliable rainfall pattern. The biological packages provided by the government are of no use for as long as irrigation facilities are not provided. Another department where Indian saffron is lacking is branding; the government should learn a thing or two from countries like Spain and Iran when it comes to marketing its product in the global market. Saffron is one of the most important and oldest commodities of Kashmir on which, the income of many depends. Kashmiri saffron needs to exist as a global entity which is better in quality to its counterparts. 90% of the internal saffron demands of the country are fulfilled by imports from countries like Iran and Spain, 49% of what is produced is exported. The demand for saffron is high not only domestically but also at an international level. The potential for this spice to improve the incomes and thus the standards of living of the people of Kashmir is immense. Kashmiris have been living in a constant state of unrest. Stuck in the midst of never-ending political unrest, the Kashmiris already have to deal with a lot. The thousands of farmers losing their only source of income because of the government’s callousness is the biggest form of a disservice to the people of Kashmir. It takes away the least bit of security they could feel. We never know, but saffron might prove to be a step towards the restoration of peace in the state.
Writer: Srishti Khurana
Very well articulated and informative article !