- Sujal Pradhan, NET Correspondent, Sikkim
In an attempt to initiate an extensive survey on the soil and climatic parameters, thereby exploring possible efforts for saffron (kesar) cultivation across the northeastern state of Sikkim, the state government is now gearing-up to send its team to Jammu & Kashmir to understand the technicalities.
The decided was undertaken on December 17, after a meeting was held between Governor of Sikkim Ganga Prasad, State Government led by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang-Golay, and Sikkim University led by VC Avinash Khare and team.
Its worthy to note that Sikkim University in 2020 has successfully cultivated Saffron in its premises. However, this year, a multi-locational trial was successfully conducted in Sikkim.
Currently, the Sikkim’s Agriculture department is also set-to cultivate Saffron (Kesar), which is considered as one of the expensive across the globe.
Cultivated exclusively in Kashmir, experts are putting-in concerned efforts to cultivate the spices across other states of Himalayan regions.
Addressing the reporters after the meeting, the Governor stated that he was impressed by the experimental initiative taken by Sikkim University on saffron cultivation.
He witnessed the possibility of doubling the income of farmers in the state by cultivating saffron, informed the Governor.
The Sikkim Chief Minister added that state government has taken a positive view on the saffron cultivation experiment by Sikkim University and the state government is keen to initiate the same across entire Sikkim.
He also informed that a high level team from Sikkim University and the state Department of Agriculture and Horticulture will visit Kashmir to study saffron cultivation shortly, and replicate it here with the help of the Department of Agriculture and Horticulture of Kashmir.
Saffron is cultivated using chemical fertilizers in other states but we will promote this cultivation as purely organic in Sikkim, so that the saffron produced in Sikkim will attain a good price, the CM said.
Giving information about the meeting, the Agriculture department minister, Loknath Sharma said that the department is taking saffron cultivation seriously.
On the other hand, the Vice Chancellor of Sikkim University Avinash Khare said that the university was very happy as the state government is looking at adopting saffron cultivation.
He said that the university played a crucial role in its cultivation, and now the state government will decide whether to promote it or not.
“We are very happy to see the government move forward with enthusiasm. We are ready to do what the university can do,” – he added.
