LEH, Oct 2: Saffron cultivation has begun in Ladakh as part of an agricultural diversification initiative aimed at turning barren land into productive farmland and creating new income opportunities for local farmers.
Nearly 800 kg of premium Iranian saffron corms, numbering around 90,000, have been planted across approximately 4,000 square metres of land at Command Area Gate No. 27 in Spituk Pharka, Leh.
The initiative has been undertaken under the guidance of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, following successful experiments with high-value floriculture crops such as Lilium and Gladiolus in the region.
The saffron corms used for the pilot project have a circumference of 8 to 10 cm, a diameter of 2.5 to 3 cm or more and weigh at least 10 grams, specifications considered suitable for quality saffron production.
The administration said the pilot project seeks to assess the suitability of saffron cultivation under Ladakh’s unique high-altitude agro-climatic conditions and explore its potential as a high-value crop.
L-G Saxena said the initiative could strengthen the local economy by introducing another premium crop while demonstrating that degraded and barren land can be restored and brought under cultivation.
“Our endeavour is to transform degraded and barren land into productive assets and create new opportunities for our farmers,” Saxena said.
The saffron plantation is part of a larger effort to restore around 800 acres of land in Leh. Water from the recently restored Igoo-Phey irrigation canal is being channelled towards the previously barren areas to improve soil moisture and support cultivation.
The Command Area also has four water ponds under Project Him Sarovar, with a combined storage capacity of around 24 million litres, located near the saffron cultivation site.
Saffron is a high-value crop with strong market demand. Jammu and Kashmir accounts for around 90 per cent of India’s saffron production, making the Ladakh experiment an attempt to explore whether the crop can be successfully cultivated in another high-altitude region of the country.
The administration said the initiative could open additional avenues for farmers, Self-Help Groups and local entrepreneurs while supporting crop diversification and rural livelihoods in Ladakh.
