The centuries-old saffron cultivation in Kashmir is in danger due to climate change, rapid development and fake saffron. The question is, will this prized spice gradually disappear?
A shopkeeper in Srinagar paused for a moment before showing the saffron.
Tourists were roaming in the open market of the old Kashmir city. The shopkeeper was standing behind shelves full of walnuts, spices and dry fruits. When I asked him about Kashmiri saffron, he first looked towards the door of the shop. Then he took out a small steel box wrapped in cloth from under the counter.
There were some strands of dark red saffron inside the box.
He said in a low voice, "Saffron from Pampore."
That meant that it was grown in the nearby Pampore area, which is the main area of saffron production in India.
Then he said, "This year the yield has been very low."
Then he pointed towards another glass jar kept nearby. It was full of bright red saffron strands.
He said, "This is Iranian saffron. Now many shops sell it as Kashmiri saffron. Most customers are unable to differentiate between the two."
This is about October 2025. My interest in saffron increased because of its fame.
This crop has a deep connection with the culture and memories of Kashmir. It is used in wedding dishes and noon tea. It is also used in traditional medicines and perfumes. For a long time it has been counted among the most valuable export products of the valley.
But in recent years, reports of low production, low rainfall and increasing presence of Iranian saffron in local markets are continuously emerging.
My curiosity to know what was happening with saffron, which is counted among the most expensive spices in the world, took me to Pampore.
Pampore is the town which has had the deepest connection with saffron cultivation in Kashmir for centuries.
What I found out was not good news for this extremely valuable spice. This was also a matter of concern for those Kashmiri families, whose life still depends on saffron.
story of red gold
As one moves out of Srinagar, the number of apartment buildings and roadside shops gradually decreases. In their place the Karewa Plateau becomes visible. This is an area of dry and high ground, where saffron flowers bloom every year in autumn.
The area is usually covered with purple crocus flowers during the harvest season from mid-October to mid-November.
Every morning before sunrise the farmers' families reach here. They carefully collect saffron flowers in cane baskets. At the same time, along the village roads, traders wait for the morning harvest.
But when I reached there in October 2025, many fields appeared dry. There were cracks in the ground.
I was in Dussu village. There, saffron farmer Mohammad Asif was walking slowly in his field. His family has farmed this land for generations.
Small clusters of purple flowers were visible here and there on the plateau. In many parts the fields were completely vacant.
“This year we have produced about 250 grams of saffron,” Asif told me.
He said, "In the year 2024, we got about one and a half kilograms of saffron."
He said, "Saffron cultivation depends on the right time."
He bent down and picked up a flower very carefully between his fingers.
Then he said, "If the crop does not get rain at the time of need, the yield of flowers gets affected very quickly."
Saffron cultivation has been going on for thousands of years
Saffron is obtained from a purple flowering plant named Crocus Sativus. There are three dark red colored fibers inside each flower. These fibers are called saffron.
These fine fibers are plucked by hand before sunrise to maintain their quality. After this they are carefully separated and dried for several hours.
To make just one ounce i.e. 28 grams of saffron, approximately 4,000 flowers are required. This plant gives flowers only for two to four weeks in a year. This is the reason why saffron is always counted among the most expensive spices in the world. It is also often called 'red gold'.
This plant is no longer found anywhere in the forests. The history of early cultivation of saffron goes back thousands of years. Evidence of this is found in today's Iran, Greece and parts of Central Asia.
Centuries ago, saffron reached Kashmir through Persian influence and trade routes.
Specialty of Kashmiri saffron
Kashmir saffron is known for its deep red colour, thick fibers and strong aroma.
Scientists who have studied the chemical composition of saffron have found that it contains a very high amount of crocin. Crocin is a carotenoid compound that gives saffron its deep color.
Kashmiri saffron is generally priced higher than Iranian saffron. The price of one gram can reach around Rs 375 or more. That means one has to spend approximately Rs 10 thousand for one ounce.
For many generations, farmers in Pampore have been making their living on saffron cultivation.
Families also planned their household expenses and weddings keeping the harvest season in mind.
People from the entire neighborhood used to come together till late evening to separate the red fibers from the flowers. Kettles of salted tea were kept nearby.
Elderly residents tell that once upon a time on autumn mornings the entire plateau appeared covered with almost purple flowers.
Kashmir saffron production has decreased rapidly
The production of Kashmiri saffron has declined rapidly in the last decade.
According to government data, saffron production in Kashmir and the surrounding Jammu region was eight tonnes in 2010-11. It reduced to only 2.6 tonnes in 2023-24.
Researchers say that there are many reasons behind this decline. These also include changing weather patterns.
Many researches have found that the rains in August and September are very important for the flowering of saffron. It also plays a big role in the development of saffron roots. Roots are the base of the plant's stem located underground.
If there is drought in these months, there can be a sharp decline in the yield.
'Saffron cultivation depends on the weather'
Rabia Khan, an independent climate researcher and environmental advocate from Kashmir, says that saffron cultivation depends on a delicate seasonal balance.
This balance has now become more unstable than before.
"Long dry spells in autumn are now longer and more common than ever before," she says.
She further says, "There has also been a change in the snowfall pattern in recent years. This impacts ground water recharge and soil moisture."
Less snowfall in the Western Himalayas and increasing average temperatures due to climate change are also affecting the rainfall in the lower reaches of the entire region.
'Now winters are not as cold as before'
There is no need for any scientific chart to understand this change for the farmers of Pampore. Many farmers told me that now winters are not as cold or long as before.
The drains which earlier carried snow melting water to the villages, now rarely see water in them.
Farmer Abdul Rashid Wani says, "There has been a lot of change in the rainfall pattern in the last few years."
He says, "Today we are largely dependent on pumps for water."
In 2010, the Government of India started the National Saffron Mission amid concerns over the declining cultivation of saffron. The objective of this scheme was to improve the irrigation system, revitalize the saffron tubers and increase production. Under this programme, borewells, sprinkler systems and scientific assistance were provided to farmers in the Kesar area of Pampore.
Some farmers say that irrigation facilities have improved in some villages. But some other farmers complain of broken pipelines, irregular supply of water and delay in repairs.
He says that these problems have more impact during the crucial period of flowering.
To respond to these complaints of farmers, we contacted the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of India. But no response was received from the department.
Also, the area of saffron fields is continuously decreasing.
Road widening, residential construction and commercial projects have now taken over large areas of land where saffron was once cultivated.
Farmers point to those areas where saffron flowers used to bloom till some time ago.
Habib Khan, an elderly resident of Konibal village, told me, "The livelihood of every household depended on saffron. Now many youth do not see their future in it."
The farmers also told me about another problem. He is 'Sahi'.
"Crops get damaged due to porcupine attacks"
In Dussu, Asif showed me parts of his farm where these animals had damaged the saffron roots and stems by digging up the soil.
Pointing to the holes made in the soil, he said, "They come at night and dig up tubers."
He said, "Many times we only see flowers missing, but the real damage occurs below the ground."
He said that porcupine attacks have increased in recent years. Especially in those fields which are near settlements and bushy areas.
Other farmers said that they have put up temporary fences to protect their crops. Some farmers also stay awake at night and monitor the fields.
According to a report in New Delhi's magazine Down to Earth, the rats that have proliferated in recent years due to the nearby garbage dump are also causing huge damage to the saffron tubers.
Fake saffron in the name of Kashmiri saffron
Iran's farmers are also facing changing climate and water crisis. About 90 percent of the world's saffron is produced in Iran.
There has been a drought like situation for a long time. This is affecting the cultivation of saffron.
The recent conflict between the US-Israel and Iran has also affected the global supply and prices of both Kashmiri and Iranian saffron.
But Iranian saffron has become a cause of concern for the farmers of Kashmir for another reason.
A trader I met in the spice market of Delhi in January 2026 told me that sometimes imported saffron comes to Indian markets in large quantities.
After this it is packed again. It is then sold with the name and label of Kashmir Saffron.
In a narrow store room, where boxes and weighing machines were placed all around, he opened some packets. They contained Iranian saffron fibres. Then he compared it with Kashmiri saffron present in small quantities.
“Customers ask for Kashmiri saffron because this name is more recognized in the market,” the trader told me.
"Once packaged, most people can't tell the difference between the two."
Other methods of fraud include selling safflower flowers or turmeric in place of saffron. In some cases, dangerous colors are also added.
'Fake saffron' is causing harm to Kashmiri saffron
Shazia Malik, a food scientist who studies the authenticity of spices in the Food and Drug Administration of Jammu and Kashmir, says that such adulteration causes loss to both consumers and farmers.
“When imported saffron is adulterated or mislabeled and sold as Kashmiri saffron, consumers lose confidence,” she says.
He said, "It also affects the income of farmers."
Many farmers of Pampore believe that this problem also hides the real decline in local production.
He says that so-called 'Kashmiri saffron' is easily available in the market. Whereas the production of real Kashmiri saffron is continuously decreasing.
Efforts are being made to develop certification system and electronic tracing system to improve monitoring.
A government official told the BBC that these measures have improved surveillance in recent years. However, farmers say that there is still a lack of uniformity in implementing the rules.
Different world of Kashmiri saffron
Niaz Ahmed Dar, a government horticulturist near Srinagar, studies saffron flowers grown in indoor farming. Humidity, temperature and light are very carefully controlled in these rooms.
These studies have shown good signs of maintaining stable flower yields and crocin levels.
Scientists working on preserving saffron are also focusing on groundwater management, better protection of roots and monitoring of soil moisture.
Some experts believe that protecting the remaining saffron fields may be equally important.
Many farmers in Pampore told me that there is something else that worries them more than the temporary crop loss.
They fear that due to increasing construction work, saffron fields are gradually disappearing completely.
He says that once construction is done on a land, farming rarely returns there.
When I visited Dussu village again last November, Asif invited me to join his family in the fields before sunrise during harvest week.
As the morning light began to spread, the limited size of this year's crop became clearly visible.
Asif remembered that in earlier years his family's baskets were much fuller than this.
Later, Asif's wife Zeba was separating the red saffron strands by hand, one by one.
Steam was rising from the cups of salty tea placed in front of us.
Asif was carefully spreading those fibers on a tray to dry. The light earthy fragrance of fresh saffron was spread in the room.
“Saffron cultivation has given an identity to the families here for centuries,” Asif told me.
He said, "People are worried about income, but they are also worried that the lifestyle associated with this land may be lost."
