Shabnam Mondal
Saffron, the red wisps that weigh their worth in gold in the vales of Kashmir and beyond its boundaries too, are known as Zaffran or Kong. The scientific name of this product that is borne out of purple flowers is Crocus sativus.
It is one of the most important cash crops of the region and is a part of the world of Kashmiri horticulture and is almost literally gold in the harvest. It is also called a ‘Badshahi’ crop. Saffron is a rich source of livelihood, culture and family business in Kashmir and in 2010, the year of the last official census, nearly 7.3% of the world’s saffron was produced in Pampore.
Process of Cultivating Saffron
The seeds are called corum and are planted in soil which in the middle of the season sprouts perennial grass. They yield extremely pretty looking purple flowers that are highly delicate in nature.
The soil that is necessary for saffron growth is called Karewa and it is imperative for efficient growth. This soil is present mostly in the tehsil of Pampore in Pulwama district of Kashmir.
It requires a dryish climate with just the right amount of rain during the season and also needs an extensively planned out drainage system.
Sunshine and measured rain are extremely important factors for the crop and hence in Kashmir, south-facing slopes in areas like Pampore are carefully used for saffron cultivation.
The flower itself yields 6 stigmas contrary to the popular public belief of 3. Out of these six, three are red in colour and three yellow. The red is what is considered gold and is commonly called saffron and the yellow which is called ‘peath’, is usually discarded in Kashmir even though it fetches around 30 INR for 12 grams.
Preparation for saffron as a crop-
Saffron is an extremely labour intensive as well as highly expensive crop and requires weeks and months of preparation and protection.
Firstly, the flower beds are ploughed thrice before the planting of the Corum. The earlier methods of ploughing were animals, but now technology has replaced animal labour with machines like tillers.
Plowing provides aeration to the soil and also prevents water accumulation which is extremely fatal to the seeds. Due to this reason, the drainage system around the crops is re-dug around 3-4 times every year.
The beds are raised in nature with an average height of seven feet. The height of the beds is very important as it connects to a drainage system that is dug 15 cm deep and 30 cm wide around it. The distance between individual beds is 2 metres.
Every seed is individually planted 8 cm inside the soil and at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other.
Corums can survive for years under the soil on one condition, that is, it must be protected from water and specific kinds of bacteria and fungi.
After the prepping of the soil which includes plowing, shaping, fertilizing etc, it is the prepping of the bed, the sowing, the continuous drainage of soil finally comes the most laborious part, the plucking of the flower itself. This is the most tedious and ‘back-breaking’ part of the task as each flower has to be plucked individually and with the utmost level of care.
Since the stigmas will spoil under the slightest pressure, only the fingertips of the picker can be used.
The stigmas are attached at the root and to remove one is to remove all three together like a trident. Once it is removed and safely placed in the baskets of the picker, it is spread across on dupattas and dried in the sun. Once dry, it is ready to be sold in the markets.
Areas under cultivation in Kashmir
Saffron is cultivated in 184 villages in Kashmir, and Pulwama is 73% of the total cultivation land. It is also called the Saffron Bowl of India. Saffron is one of the most important export crops in the country. Nearly 49% of the total production is exported.
The towns of Pampore in Pulwama is the main centre of saffron and also the old traditional grounds where saffron has forever existed in. It is from here that further cultivation of saffron was diffused to other surrounding places like Nagam, Charar-e-Sharif, Koil and Kishtwar where saffron fields are also the fields of almond plantations.
Decline and reasons
From 2010 onwards, the last decade, there has been a decline of a staggering 90 percent in crop production. There are four main reasons as to why that is.
One of the main reasons stems from the town of Khrew in Pampore.
Around a decade ago, it was found that this town has huge amounts of limestone. The surrounding mountains, the stones and even the houses on many occasions are built on rich and vast limestone reserves.
The end result of limestone is cement and hence the rest goes unsaid. Today, there are around 9-10 cement factories in Khrew with a huge part of the local population employed in the cement business.
The main problem that it has given birth to, is the pollution created in this area and the surrounding places which has severely affected the cultivation of saffron which was one of the main crops grown in the area.
A large part of the total saffron yield came from Khrew and hence was adversely affected.
Since rules from a pollution board are almost non-existent in Kashmir, the land and waters around this area are directly dumped with toxic waste from cement factories. This killed the soil and obviously affected saffron production.
In the most recent health survey of the citizens of Khrew, it was found that a staggering 65 percent of the population suffers from some form of chest disease, undoubtedly caused by the severe pollution of air and land.
Fields that were once used for the art of saffron growing were found covered with flimsy films of cement, dust and pollution.
The second cause of the decline in saffron production is climate change. Given that saffron is a very delicate crop, it cannot tolerate disturbances in its growth requirements. The weather, the quality of air, soil and water imperatively have to be perfect for fruition. Irregular and sudden snowfalls or sudden waves of heat are very bad for the health of the crop.
The third disastrous cause for the decline was a government scheme released by the J&K government in 2010 called the National Saffron Mission. According to the scheme, the government pays INR 50,000 for the cultivation of saffron per canal. The problem however was that the crop was to be cultivated compulsorily under the guidelines of the Government.
The fatal blow was the very first guideline, called the ‘Dip Method’. In this method, the seeds are dipped for an hour or so in water that has been mixed with a form of chemical powder. But an essential piece of information that was overlooked was that corum seeds do not do well in water. The accumulation of water in the seeds made them swell hence destroying the crop in the very initial stage itself.
The last cause contributing to the misery of saffron cultivation is the loss of the trade and craft that is supposed to carry on through generations. The new generation, the youth, do not find the world of saffron a very attractive one. This is due to many reasons like the time-consuming and labour-intensive nature of the crop is not a strong point with a generation that has been born into instant gratification.
The Kashmiriyat spoke to saffron businessman Danish Assad from Nawab Foods Company who said, “another reason the crop is not popular with youngsters is because the market value of saffron is not as much as it should be, atleast in the past decade when the entire industry has suffered huge losses.”
“The youth finds the entire process haphazard and the elders haven’t paid attention or given importance to passing the knowledge on” he added.
A crop that takes months to yield produce and yet does not get its due worth in the market, will, of course not be a popular choice with young people burdened with worldly responsibilities.
“The state GDP of Kashmir till 2010 was largely dependant on 3 things, tourism, saffron and apples. And currently the condition of both tourism and saffron has suffered” said Danish.
Uses of saffron-
Saffron looks like thin wisps of red smoke but is extremely efficient in what it can give. It is a medicinal, culinary and sensory delight and has varied uses.
It is used in perfumes and is a colouring, flavouring and aromatic agent in Mughlai as well as Kashmiri cuisine. It is used in dishes like biryani, firni, quorma and drinks like kehwa and chai, encompassing the world of culinary arts from Turkey to Iran to India.
It is bought in bulk by cosmetic companies and used in makeup. It is also used for textile dyes and is also an important component in medicine.
A one-liner from the saffron world-
It is a common local story that that the founding father of saffron was a very famous Sufi saint called Shogbab Sahib who got zaffran from ‘Jannat’ and put it in Pampore. However the reality is that he got it from Persia, present day Iran.
Saffron has been a regal spice since its inception in history. It is created with the love of hard labour and the knowledge of a very delicate craft that has been passed on through generations in the valley of Kashmir. It currently faces an unparalleled crisis in the shelf life of its cultivation and very existence.
For zaffran to continue to flourish through the streets of this region and bloom and flourish in the very soil of the state, it must be given its due respect and dignity and documented as the essential ‘Spice of Kashmir’ that it truly is.
