Daijiworld Media Network - Leh
Leh, Oct 2: Ladakh has launched a pilot project to cultivate saffron for the first time, with nearly 90,000 premium Iranian saffron corms weighing around 800 kg planted across 4,000 square metres of previously barren land at Spituk Pharka in Leh.
The initiative has been undertaken by the Ladakh Administration under the guidance of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena as part of efforts to restore degraded land and diversify agriculture in the Union Territory.
The saffron plantation follows earlier experiments with high-value floriculture, including Lilium and Gladiolus cultivation, which officials said have created livelihood opportunities for farmers, Self-Help Groups and local entrepreneurs.
The plantation site is part of nearly 800 acres of land being restored in Leh under the administration's land-rejuvenation efforts. Water is being supplied to the area through the adjoining Igoo-Phey irrigation canal, which was recently restored and made operational. Excess water from the canal is being diverted towards the barren land to improve soil moisture and make it suitable for cultivation.
The area also has four water ponds developed under Project Him Sarovar, with a combined storage capacity of around 24 million litres, according to the administration.
The Iranian saffron corms planted under the pilot project have a circumference of 8-10 cm, a diameter of 2.5-3 cm or more and a minimum weight of 10 grams. The initiative aims to determine whether saffron can adapt to Ladakh's high-altitude agro-climatic conditions and become economically viable for local farmers.
Jammu and Kashmir remains India's primary saffron-producing region and accounts for around 90 per cent of the country's saffron production, according to the Ladakh Administration. The Ladakh project is being treated as a pilot experiment and is not intended to replace Kashmir's established saffron industry.
If successful, the experiment could add another high-value crop to Ladakh's agricultural economy and provide farmers with an additional source of income.
The administration said the initiative is part of broader efforts to transform degraded and barren land into productive assets and create new livelihood opportunities for farmers, youth and Self-Help Groups.