Saffron flowers within a record 30 days in experimental cultivation on restored barren land in Leh

Key facts

• Experimental saffron cultivation on restored barren land at Spituk Pharka in Leh produced its first flowers within a record 30 days of planting, compared with the usual two-month period for first bloom.
• Around 90,000 premium Iranian saffron corms weighing nearly 800 kg were planted across approximately 4,000 square metres of previously barren land as part of Project Him Sarovar, a degraded land restoration initiative.
• Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena inspected the field on Sunday, reporting 20 to 25 flowers blooming daily on average, with 72 flowers recorded on Sunday morning and nearly 22 grams of saffron collected in the first four days of flowering.
• Water from the restored Igoo-Phey irrigation canal is being channelled to the area to improve soil moisture and support cultivation.
• Jammu and Kashmir accounts for nearly 90 per cent of India's saffron production, making the Ladakh experiment a significant attempt to grow the crop beyond its traditional areas.