Pampore, Aug 10 (KNO): Amid concerns over the availability of saffron corms, the Agriculture Department has intensified measures to conserve the vital planting material in Kashmir, including restrictions on its transportation outside the Valley and plans to establish Saffron Seed Multiplication Nurseries in the Pampore area of Pulwama district.
Officials said the measures have been taken to ensure the availability of quality planting material for local saffron growers and to prevent depletion of corms, which are essential for maintaining and expanding saffron cultivation in the region.
The department has prohibited the transportation and export of saffron corms outside Kashmir and warned that any violation of the restrictions would invite action under the Saffron Act, 2007 and the Seed Act, 1966.
The move assumes significance as the extraction of saffron corms and their subsequent sowing is scheduled to begin from August 15. In view of the approaching season, officials said surveillance, field inspections and checking have been stepped up across saffron-growing areas to prevent unauthorised movement of corms.
Agricultural Extension Officer Mir Ashiq Ahmad told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the department was taking a series of measures to protect Kashmir's traditional saffron cultivation and ensure that farmers have access to adequate and quality planting material.
“Restricting the transportation of saffron corms outside the Valley is an important step towards conserving the planting material available in Kashmir,” the officer said.
He said the department was also working towards establishing Saffron Seed Multiplication Nurseries in Pampore, which would help in multiplying quality corms and making them available to farmers.
According to officials, the proposed nurseries are expected to reduce pressure on existing planting material while creating a more dependable source of quality corms for saffron growers. The initiative is also aimed at supporting the expansion of saffron cultivation and strengthening the crop's long-term sustainability.
Saffron cultivation remains an important component of the agricultural economy of south Kashmir, particularly in and around Pampore, where the crop has been cultivated for generations. Besides its economic value, saffron is closely associated with the region's agricultural heritage.
Officials told KNO that indiscriminate removal of corms from Kashmir could adversely affect the availability of planting material and eventually impact the area under saffron cultivation. The restrictions, they said, are therefore aimed at ensuring that the crop's basic planting resource remains available to local growers.
The Agriculture Department has appealed to farmers and traders not to sell or transport saffron corms outside the Valley and to cooperate with officials during the extraction and sowing period.
Agriculture officer Ahmad urged all stakeholders to adhere to the prescribed regulations, saying collective efforts were required to protect Kashmir's saffron heritage and ensure the crop continues to provide a sustainable livelihood to growers.
With the August 15 extraction period approaching, the department is maintaining close monitoring of saffron-growing areas to check illegal movement of corms and ensure that the planting material is utilised for strengthening saffron cultivation within Kashmir—(KNO)