Srinagar, Oct 4: Ali Mohammad, a saffron farmer from the Lethpora area in south Kashmir’s Pampore, is staring at a difficult season as prolonged dry weather and rising temperatures threaten the crop during a crucial stage of its growth.
For Mohammad, the worry is already visible in his fields. The dry conditions over the past month have affected newly planted saffron corms, leaving farmers anxious about whether the crop will develop properly in the weeks ahead.
“The newly planted corms have dried up because of the lack of moisture. If the weather remains dry, it will affect the yield,” he said.
Saffron needs adequate moisture during September and October for vegetative growth, when the plant develops before flowering. But the prolonged dry spell has deepened uncertainty among growers, who are already coming out of a difficult production season.
“Last year, our production declined significantly, and we are worried about meeting the same fate this year,” said Bashir Ahmad, another saffron grower.
The concerns come against the backdrop of a long decline in Kashmir’s saffron cultivation. Official figures show that production has fallen by around 65 per cent since the late 1990s, while the area under cultivation has shrunk from more than 5,700 hectares in 1996-97 to 2,387 hectares in 2019-20.
Changing weather patterns have emerged as an additional challenge for growers, alongside declining cultivation and rising production costs.
Last year, saffron production fell by an estimated 20–30 per cent after a prolonged dry spell in June and July, when temperatures climbed as high as 34 degrees Celsius. This year too, June was unusually hot and dry, raising concerns at a time when the crop was entering an important phase of development.
The weather, however, brought some relief later in the season. Rainfall in July, followed by heavier precipitation in August, replenished moisture in the saffron-growing fields spread across the elevated plateaus of Pampore and adjoining areas.
The government has also been attempting to revive the traditional crop. In 2023, authorities approved a Rs 146 crore project under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) to promote niche and high-value crops, including saffron.
For farmers, however, the immediate concern remains the weather. The India Meteorological Department has forecast partly to generally cloudy conditions from October 6 to 8, with light rain at a few places and light snowfall over the higher reaches. Thunder and gusty winds are also likely.
Weather activity is expected to increase on October 9 and 10, with light to moderate rain likely at scattered to many places, along with light snowfall over the higher reaches. Thunder and gusty winds are also forecast.
Partly cloudy conditions are expected to continue from October 11.
Saffron growers are now hoping that the forecast brings enough moisture to the fields at the right time.
“We are hoping for timely rainfall. If the weather improves and the fields receive enough moisture, there is still a possibility that the crop can recover. But if the dry conditions continue, the yield could be affected,” said Abdul Majeed, another saffron grower from Pampore.
