Secretary Agriculture Production Department (APD) Manzoor Ahmad Lone today stressed on collective multidimensional approach for the revival of saffron and to boost its production. The Secretary was speaking at a meeting convened to review the overall status of saffron production in the State.He said that J&K has a monopoly over the production of saffron in the country. He also called for adopting a collective multidimensional approach where all the stakeholders including scientists, farmers, saffron growers, policymakers and the department is taken on board for the revival of the sector.“Saffron is such a symbolic and market-oriented crop that it has always a readily available market nationally as well as internationally,” he added.Lone said that it is high time that all the necessary efforts are put in, translated into actions and implemented on the ground to boost saffron production.He highlighted the importance of pursuing innovative solutions while dealing with the saffron sector to create and sustain an economically viable venture.Lone expressed optimism that within the next two years the saffron scenario in the state will witness a positive change.
He asked the concerned scientists and experts to ensure that the different components of National Mission on Saffron including plantation of corms on scientific lines and irrigation facilities are taken care of.Secretary APD asked the Director Agriculture Kashmir to depute extra staff for the saffron growing areas of the valley. He also ordered Mechanical Irrigation Department to maintain the manpower for the regulation of bore wells and sprinkler irrigation systems in the area.The meeting was attended by Director Agriculture Kashmir Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi, Director Horticulture Manzoor Ahmad Qadri, F.A Nehvi Representative of SKUAST, Joint Directors, representatives of saffron growers and traders and other concerned.Earlier, Secretary APD inaugurated departmental library at Agriculture Complex Lalmandi Srinagar. On the occasion, Lone asked the officers to introduce e-Books in the library which will be easily accessible to the readers.