Govt rejects ‘saffron collapse’ claim

Srinagar, Feb 12: The government on Thursday rejected claims in the Assembly that saffron production had slumped to just 5 percent of normal levels in 2025, asserting that output had remained stable and productivity improved under the National Mission on Saffron.

Replying to a starred question by MLA Pampore Hasnain Masoodi regarding a decline to an all-time low of 5 percent, the government said, ìThe annual production of saffron has not witnessed decline in recent years.î

It attributed the earlier setbacks to the period before the launch of the ‘Economic Revival of J&K Saffron Sector.’

ìPrior to the launch of the National Mission on Saffron, both the area under cultivation and productivity had declined sharply,î the government said.

According to the reply, saffron cultivation had shrunk from 5707 hectares to 3715 hectares in the early 2000s, while productivity fell to 1.27 kg per hectare in 2000-01 and 1.68 kg per hectare in 2003-04.

Since 2010-11, the cultivated area has stabilised at 3715 hectares, the government said.

It said that productivity had shown an overall upward trend except in 2014-15, 2017-18, and 2018-19 due to floods and prolonged dry spells, when productivity fell to 1.50 kg per ha, 1.64 kg per ha, and 1.75 kg per ha.

On the query on production, productivity and exports, official figures tabled in the House showed total production at 17.33 MT in 2020-21, 14.87 MT in 2021-22, 14.94 MT in 2022-23, rising to 23.53 MT in 2023-24, and 19.58 MT in 2024-25.

Average productivity stood at 4.67 kg per ha in 2020-21, 4 kg per ha in 2021-22, 4.02 kg per ha in 2022-23, peaked at 6.33 kg per ha in 2023-24, and 5.27 kg per ha in 2024-25.

Export volumes were 15.60 MT in 2020-21, 13.38 MT in 2021-22, 13.45 MT in 2022-23, 20.47 MT in 2023-24, and 17.82 MT in 2024-25.

The value of production was Rs 302.35 crore in 2020-21, Rs 261.38 crore in 2021-22, Rs 291.33 crore in 2022-23, Rs 564.72 crore in 2023-24, and Rs 534.53 crore in 2024-25.

Export value stood at Rs 272.12 crore in 2020-21, Rs 235.25 crore in 2021-22, Rs 262.20 crore in 2022-23, Rs 491.31 crore in 2023-24, and Rs 486.43 crore in 2024-25.

The government provided separate data for rejuvenated and non-rejuvenated areas.

In rejuvenated areas, production stood at 13.22 MT in 2020-21 with productivity of 5.14 kg per ha over 2572.73 hectares.

It declined to 11.43 MT in 2021-22 with productivity of 4.40 kg per ha on 2598.73 ha, and remained nearly stable at 11.49 MT in 2022-23 with productivity of 4.42 kg per ha on 2598.7 hectares.

Production rose sharply to 18.09 MT in 2023-24, with productivity improving to 6.96 kg per ha on 2598.7 hectares.

In 2024-25, production was recorded at 14.44 MT with productivity of 5.6 kg per ha, again covering 2598.73 hectares.

In non-rejuvenated or traditional areas, production was 4.11 MT in 2020-21 with productivity of 3.60 kg per hectare over 1142.27 hectares.

It declined to 3.44 MT in 2021-22 with productivity of 3.08 kg per ha across 1116.27 hectares and remained almost unchanged at 3.45 MT in 2022-23 with productivity of 3.09 kg per ha in the same area.

Production improved to 5.44 MT in 2023-24 with productivity rising to 4.87 kg per ha on 1116.27 hectares.

In 2024-25, output stood at 5.02 MT with productivity of 4.50 kg per ha, covering around 1116 hectares.

Under the corm rejuvenation drive, 2598.75 hectares out of an identified 3,665 hectares have been rejuvenated, leaving 1116.25 hectares yet to be covered.

District-wise, Pulwama (Pampore) achieved 2055.75 hectares against a target of 3200 hectares; Budgam covered 328 hectares against 300 hectares targeted; Srinagar met its target of 165 hectares; and Kishtwar achieved 50 hectares.

On post-harvest processing and marketing, the government highlighted post-harvest operations at the India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre (IIKSTC).

Between 2020-21 and 2025-26, 15,662 farmer visits or pickings were recorded.

A total of 49,324.22 kg of fresh flowers were processed, yielding 5928.6 kg of fresh stigma and 1066.58 kg of dried stigma after scientific drying.

GI-certified saffron marketed through the facility totalled 258.42 kg, while 805.48 kg were received through the post-harvest facility alone.

As many as 4826 farmers availed GI and post-harvest facilities.  The Quality Evaluation Laboratory conducted 5819 quality tests.

The government informed the House that 5079 growers and 487 buyers had registered on the e-auction portal.

On another question whether the Rs 411 crore PM Saffron Mission had completely failed, the government said that after establishment of the Saffron Park and India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre (IIKSTC), scientific drying improved stigma recovery and farmers realised higher prices, rising from Rs 80,000 per kg to Rs 220,000 per kg in 2021-22.

On irrigation, the reply said 124 community bore-wells were planned, of which 85 had been handed over while 39 remain pending due to poor participation in tendering.

Of the bore-wells installed, 77 were found non-functional.

Only eight bore-wells are currently functional, four in Srinagar and four in Budgam. ìFarmers are reluctant due to operational and maintenance costs,î the government said, citing land disputes, resistance by locals, and legal notices by contractors as reasons for delay.

On financial status it said that the total project cost stands at Rs 400.11 crore, including Rs 315.99 crore government share and Rs 84.12 crore farmer share.

ìFunds released amount to Rs 269.915 crore, while total expenditure has reached Rs 321.31 crore,” it said.

The government said that rejuvenated saffron areas had shown sustained improvement in productivity and production, leading to enhanced export potential.

Growers flagged crisis last year

The Assembly reply follows reports last year from saffron growers in Pampore, the ‘Saffron Bowl of Kashmir’, who described the sector as facing one of its worst crises in decades. President of the Saffron Growers Association J&K, Abdul Majeed Wani, had said production had fallen drastically.

ìThis year the corms havenít sprouted properly at all,î Wani said. ìProduction is hardly 15 percent, not even half of last yearís, which itself was barely 30 percent of normal.î

Growers blamed prolonged dry spells, lack of functional irrigation and poor-quality corms, and sought intervention through assured irrigation, monitoring of fields, and supply of quality planting material.

Official figures show the area under saffron cultivation declined from 5707 hectares in 1996-97 to 2387 hectares in 2019-20, a reduction of more than 65 pervent over two decades. While the government asserts that production, productivity, post-harvest processing, and exports have improved in recent years, growers continue to voice concern over recurring drought, irrigation gaps, and the long-term sustainability of Kashmirís iconic crop.

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