File photo: Kashmiri villagers plucking saffron flowers in a field in Pampore, south of Srinagar, in October last year. Pampore, also known as the Saffron City of Kashmir, is famous for its high quality produce. It is one of the few places where the world’s most expensive spice grows. | Photo Credit: Imran Nisar
Saffron prices have almost doubled in Kashmir this season, but sharply lower production has offset any gains for farmers, growers and industry representatives.
Farmers said 10 grams of GI-tagged Kashmiri saffron is selling for around ₹4,000 this year, marking a significant increase in market prices compared to the last season. However, the benefits of higher prices have been largely neutralized by a sharp decline in production.
“Prices are high, but production has fallen,” said Abdul Majeed Wani, president of All Jammu and Kashmir Saffron Growers Association. business Line.
“There has been such a huge decline in yield that farmers have not fully benefited from the price rise,” Wani said.
Wani said saffron production fell by about 75 percent last year, from about 15 tonnes decades ago to about a tonne in the recent season. “The gains were neutralized due to low yields,” he said.
Climate patterns are affecting yields
Growers largely attributed the decline to changing climate patterns, particularly prolonged dry weather during winter, which has disrupted the crop’s growth cycle. Farmers said saffron lashes require adequate moisture in the soil to grow fully, but prolonged dry conditions have left the soil in the region dry.
“Due to the prolonged dry spell last winter, the corms were not able to develop properly due to lack of moisture in the soil,” Wani said. “Climate change has impacted saffron production over the years and its impact has become more pronounced in recent seasons.”
Official data underlines a long-term decline in saffron production in Jammu and Kashmir, traditionally India’s only saffron-producing region. Production fell from about 8 tonnes in 2010-11 to 2.6 metric tonnes in 2023-24, showing an overall decline of about 67.5 per cent over the period.
However, the data shows a modest improvement in the latest season, with production increasing by about 4 per cent from 2022-23 to 2023-24.
Despite modest improvements, producers said production remains well below historical levels and insufficient to offset rising input costs and shrinking cultivated areas.
Industry stakeholders warned that unless irrigation infrastructure is strengthened and climate-resilient farming practices are adopted, Kashmir’s saffron sector may face further decline.
The government launched the National Saffron Mission with ₹400.11 crore in 2010–11 to revive saffron production by improving irrigation and farming techniques. While officials claim that 2,598 hectares of land was rejuvenated under the programme, farmers say the initiative has failed to deliver a meaningful increase in yields.
Ali Mohammad, a saffron farmer from Pulwama, said, “The government has failed to take concrete steps to improve irrigation on the ground. The initiative has not yielded the desired results.”
Published on January 26, 2026
