PAMPORE: The ongoing snowfall jas brought cheers to the faces of farmers, especially saffron growers, as it is beneficial for them.
In the last couple of years there were many long dry spells but this year it snowed twice which has brought cheers among farmers who expect that the two snowfalls will help in good crop production.
Taking to Kashmir Reader, Irshad Ahmad Dar, Kissan Advisory Board Member, a progressive farmer from Pampore said that rain and snow are good for farming. “We have sowed different crops like mustard, saffron, garlic and pea,” he said, adding all these crops need rain and snow this time.
He said the snow was much needed for saffron chilly. “All crops grow in plus temperature but saffron alone grows in minus temperature,” he said, adding, “Since 2014, the climate has changed, and in 2020 there was heavy snowfall in Kashmir and in that year farmers reaped good saffron crop.”
He said that since 2014, Chilli Kalan is not been like it was before. “The more chilly saffron gets till March the more it will grow,” he said, adding all farmers should have this knowledge that saffron grows in minus temperature. He said all types of grass are dry right now but saffron grass is green.
Minus temperature is needed for flower formation, he said, adding that they grow saffron at 1700 metres above sea level where they grow it above 1200 metres.
“Here snow covers saffron due to which saffranal and picrocrocin content is more in Kashmir saffron as compared to Iran saffron,” Dar said. “Saffron needs minus temperature for growth and production. The snow will provide this chill requirement to snow.”

BILAL HABIB