Saffron Grows Dearer By 15% In A Month

Saffron, one of the most expensive spices in the world, has become 15 per cent costlier in the past one month mostly due to less acreage and damaged crop in Kashmir that impacted supply of the prized purple flower. Saffron is retailing at Rs 220 a gram now and the price is expected to rise further as unseasonal snowfall in November has damaged 30 per cent of its crop in Kashmir, processors and traders said.

Farmers have been suffering since the past few years and this year again the crop has been damaged due to snowfall, said Abdul Majid Wani, president of Saffron Farmer’s Association. “We are expecting prices to rise.” Farmers have also requested the Jammu and Kashmir administration to start a crop insurance policy.