The latest debate in the assembly has once again brought into sharp focus the deepening crisis confronting Pampore’s saffron fields. Once celebrated as the saffron bowl of the Valley, Pampore symbolised both heritage and economic resilience. Today, however, production has fallen to less than a quarter of its earlier levels, raising troubling questions about policy execution, ecological stress and institutional accountability. The decline of the famed Kashmir saffron is a cultural and economic emergency. For generations, saffron cultivation sustained thousands of farming families and gave Kashmir a distinctive global identity. The crop’s GI status was expected to protect and enhance its market value. Yet falling yields threaten to erode both farmer incomes and consumer confidence in a product synonymous with quality and authenticity.
Pampore’s lands traditionally depended on timely rainfall and natural water channels. But climate variability has altered precipitation patterns, making rainfall erratic and insufficient. Summers are becoming hotter and drier, precisely when moisture is critical for saffron corm development. Simultaneously, rapid urbanisation has choked traditional water bodies and reduced recharge capacity. Rivers and streams that once sustained cultivation are no longer dependable sources of irrigation. Recognising these vulnerabilities, the Centre had launched the National Saffron Mission with a substantial financial outlay-reportedly around Rs 500 crore for the region-aimed at creating bore wells and sprinkler irrigation systems. The objective was clear: supplement natural rainfall with assured irrigation to stabilise output. However, allegations that dozens of bore wells exist only on paper, and that sprinkler systems are either defunct or absent, cast a long shadow over implementation.
Equally concerning are conflicting production figures. When official data diverges sharply from ground realities, credibility suffers. Before political narratives harden further, what is urgently needed is an independent, time-bound audit of assets created under the scheme. Physical verification of bore wells and functional assessment of irrigation systems are essential first steps. Beyond accountability, corrective action must be swift. Reviving water bodies, promoting micro-irrigation suited to fragile karewa ecology, incentivising rainwater harvesting and strengthening research support through agricultural universities can restore resilience. Farmer cooperatives should be empowered to monitor and maintain irrigation infrastructure, ensuring community ownership.
The Government cannot remain a mute spectator while production of a GI-tagged heritage crop steadily declines.
The post Pampore Saffron Crisis appeared first on Daily Excelsior.