Cultivable Land Shrinks By Over 50 Per Cent: Saffron Production Falls By 88 Percent In 20 Years thekashmirmonitor.net

Bashir Ahmad, 70, vividly remembers the purple bloom on his six hectares of land at Pampore, two decades back. However, days of glory are over. The old farmer is consumed by worries in present times. Each year, the saffron crop has shown a decline due to unprecedented weather conditions and lack of proper irrigation facilities. “There have been persistent dry conditions in the last few years especially after 2010. Had there been irrigation facilities available, we would not have been dependent on rainfall. The government does not show much concern for the prized crop. The authorities are not implementing schemes properly. People also sold a large part of saffron land on which constructions have been built,” he said.