Kashmir lacks modern saffron harvesting, processing techniques: Foreign experts

October 24: In order to create space for Kashmir saffron in the international market, experts from Italy, Spain and Iran – three main saffron producing countries in the world, said there should be more use of technology and scientific methods in cultivation and post harvest preservation of this precious spice.

“The Kashmir saffron is very good in quality but there is an immediate need for using the modern technology and scientific methods during both pre-harvest and post harvest periods,” said Mozhgan Sabet, a professor of agronomy with specialization in saffron from University of Fordoasey in Mashhad, Iran on the side lines of 4th International Saffron Symposium on "Advances in Saffron Biology, Technology and Trade" at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre.

“For that exchange of knowledge is must but that is only possible when a students from Kashmir will travel to countries like Spain, Italy and Iran, which are world leaders in saffron cultivation and use most latest methods and technology.”

Another saffron expert Amaya Zalacain Aramburu, who has come from Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Germeny seconded Sabet.

“New technologies should be directly introduced to the growers in Kashmir so that their production will enhance and they can take a lead in international market,” said Aramburu, adding authorities need to provide guidance and education to the growers here.

“What usually happens here farmers collect the saffron in newspapers which is main reason for developing fungus on it and later damages its quality. The farmers should be given proper training from its plucking to its picking.” She also added that the drying process for saffron is also very important because the stigmas of saffron have high level of moisture and in order to preserve its chemicals, stigmas must dry properly.

“The weather here is most suitable for the cultivation of saffron, it needs an extreme climate; hot and dry weather in summer and cold in winter. The land must be flat and preferably without trees,” she said.
The international scholars, who had come to attend the saffron conference also demanded that they should be allowed to visit Kashmir on academic visas rather than tourist visas. 

Sabet of Iran who has spent more than 10 years researching on saffron says that she had to come on a tourist visa, which is not convenient. As an academic visa is very hard to get, there should be some measures taken in this regard.

According to the annual report published by department of agriculture total land under saffron cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir is 4,496 hectares.

The symposium has been organised by the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir in collaboration with the International Society for Horticulture Science, Belgium in which many researchers, policy makers, traders and growers from various saffron producing countries are taking part in the symposium.