Daybreak The billion dollar market Kashmir can't claim
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Sep 30, 2025 Discover the struggles of Kashmiri saffron farmers as they recount plummeting yields and lost fields. Unpack the broken value chains that prevent them from benefiting from rising retail prices. Learn how a GI tag hasn’t halted adulteration and how Iran's strategies dominate 90% of the global market. Explore innovative solutions like indoor farming that show promise for revival. Experts highlight the need for strategic investments and branding to reclaim Kashmir's saffron identity and market share.
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Family Legacy Turning To Despair
- Muhammad Yusuf has farmed saffron like his father and grandfather but watches yields and hope fade.
- He points to dry, cracked fields as proof that future generations may lose this heritage.
Production Collapse And Tiny Yields
- Kashmir's saffron production collapsed from 8 tonnes in 2011 to 2.7 tonnes in 2024 with cultivated area down 58%.
- Saffron yields are tiny: ~1.8 kg per acre versus hundreds of kilos for spices like cumin.
Farmer's Drastic Yield Drop
- Farmer Ali Mohamed Rishi says his 14-acre field produced a few kilograms earlier but just 150 grams this season.
- He blames heat, cement dust and poor irrigation for destroying crops.