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J&K LG calls on PM Narendra Modi, gifts Kashmir’s golden crop saffron
J&K’s Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also briefed Prime Minister about J&K’s agriculture and its allied sectors
J&K’s Lt Governor Manoj Sinha gifted a tray of Kashmir’s golden crop saffron to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Sunday. This year Kashmir had bumper saffron production and is expected to break previous records of harvest.
“A special gift of gratitude to Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji from people of J&K. In ancient Indian tradition Saffron is referred as ‘Bahukam’. As harvest festivity draws near, symbol of joy & light GI tagged exquisite & enchanting produce is ready to be delivered globally,” tweeted Sinha along with the picture of a saffron tray with the purple saffron flowers.
Sinha also briefed Prime Minister about J&K’s agriculture and its allied sectors.
“Briefed the Hon’ble PM about recommendations of Apex Committee on holistic development of Agriculture & Allied Sectors for raising farmer’s income & time-bound implementation of reforms to boost agriculture exports, creation of modern infrastructure & value chains,” he said in another tweet.
This year as per initial estimates of the growers and the government, Kashmir had a bumper saffron crop and the growers got 50% more returns for their produce due to some prominent companies buying in bulk.
Last year, the government said that the annual yield of Saffron, the world’s costliest spice cultivated in Kashmir, crossed 13 metric tonnes in 2020 for the first time in 10 years. However this year the production is expected to break more records.
The boom in saffron is being attributed to the introduction of a government scheme - National Saffron Mission - in 2010 to rejuvenate the cultivation of the spice.
The mission brought scientific know-how, underground irrigation and a spice park to rejuvenate the production and post-production processes, officials said.
