Govt team inspects saffron farms in Pampore area

Tribune News Service

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Srinagar, February 15

A high-level team constituted by the state government to identify the bottlenecks and deficiencies in the implementation of the national mission on saffron, inspected farms in south Kashmir’s Pampore area, the saffron bowl of the region, yesterday.

The team has been constituted under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor of Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKAUST-K), Tej Pratap, said an official spokesman.

The team inspected saffron fields, bore-wells and micro-irrigation system at Dusoo, Konibal and Munpora areas of Pampore and also held an interactive meeting with farmers at Konibal.

“The farmers apprised the visiting team about their difficulties regarding the saffron project. While ensuring their full cooperation to the government agencies in the implementation of the mission, the farmers suggested that the installation of sprinkler system should be carried out from May to August, so that there is no damage to the crop afterwards,” said the spokesman.

The farmers also demanded that the installation of bore-wells should be done simultaneously, so that the irrigation facility was available to farmers during the next season from August to October.

“Other issues that were discussed included participation of farmers in rejuvenation, work on saffron park and post-installation maintenance and upkeep of the irrigation system,” he said.

The national mission on saffron has been sanctioned by the Government of India at a cost of Rs 372.18 crore for saffron cultivation in Kashmir, which has been facing a decline in its productivity.