Officials face heat over drop in saffron crop during Jashn-e-Zaffran

Pampore, Nov 2: Senior officials on Thursday faced the wrath of saffron farmers during the Jashn-e-Zaffran festival.
The festival was held at India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre (IIKSTC), Dussu, Pampore to promote agro-tourism and agro-industry.

As the officials began to speak, some farmers stood up and talked about the authorities’ indifference towards the saffron cultivators.
The farmers said that the authorities were doing little to save the saffron production. “There has been a significant dip in the yield and the government has not done anything”, said a miffed farmer.

He expressed concern over the saffron corms being attacked by the rodents.
Another farmer said that he was requesting the officials sitting on the podium to give him just two minutes to speak about a host of issues confronting the farmers.

The farmers said that “in the absence of the dripping irrigation system, the prolonged dry spells take a toll on the crop”.
It is pertinent to mention here that the government introduced a drip irrigation system in 2010 after it rolled out the Rs 412-crore National Saffron Mission to fight the dry spills.
Soon after the festival, a video of miffed growers castigating the officials was circulated online.

Director Agriculture, Choudhary Muhammad Iqbal told Greater Kashmir that the festival was held peacefully and the farmers were highlighting their issues. “The issue of dripping irrigation would be taken up with the concerned department”, he said.
Choudhary, however, said that many pipes had been damaged and the department had an FIR to investigate the matter.
Apart from Director Agriculture, Secretary Agriculture Production Department, Shabnum Kamili and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.