SRINAGAR: The Director of Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhury Mohammad Iqbal, today visited saffron areas of Pampore to take stock of the crop scenario.
During the visit, the Director inspected flower picking in different fields and took feedback from the concerned saffron growers.
While having discussion with the farmers, he underlined the efforts by the department to strengthen saffron cultivation.
Amid saffron flowers in full bloom, Iqbal said that saffron flowers are becoming one of the major tourist attractions these days.
The Director said the department is working for area expansion under the saffron crop and different stakeholders are on board in this endeavour. He said that the department has identified saffron farmers (nurseries) for saffron corm multiplication so that the seed could be provided to more and more farmers and the crop could be introduced in newer areas.
Director said that over the years saffron farmers are now adopting modern cultural practices, technologies in the field of saffron cultivation. He said the role of the India International Saffron Trade Centre (IIKSTC) has been commendable not only in providing different mandatory services but also in the capacity building of the saffron growers.
He said after getting the G.I tag there is vast potential in the saffron crops and in coming times it would play a vital role in the socio-economic transformation of the farming community of the area in particular and agricultural economy of the region in general. He said under HADP a special project is under implementation for the promotion of saffron crops.
