A pilot project in Leh has produced its first saffron blooms in half the usual time on restored land.
A pilot saffron cultivation project in the cold desert of Ladakh has recorded its first flowering in just 30 days, according to The New Indian Express. The experimental field, located at Spituk Pharka in Leh, saw blooms much faster than the typical two-month timeline usually required for the spice to flower.
Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena inspected the site on Monday to witness the development. Officials reported that the field is seeing between 20 and 25 flowers every day, with a high of 72 flowers recorded on Monday morning. In the first four days of harvesting, nearly 22 grams of pure saffron have been collected.
The project involved planting 90,000 Iranian saffron corms, weighing approximately 800 kg, across 4,000 square metres of land. This area was previously barren and was recently rejuvenated under Project Him Sarovar. The plantation began on October 1.
Saxena said the initiative follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to diversify agriculture for the economic empowerment of farmers and youth. He noted that the breakthrough highlights the potential for high-altitude farming and could lead to commercial-scale production and agro-based entrepreneurship in the region.
The pilot project aims to assess if the climatic conditions of Ladakh are suitable for the high-value crop. Currently, Jammu and Kashmir produces about 90 per cent of India's total saffron.
