States » NorthPosted at: Oct 2 2026 1:52PM


Leh’s barren land set to bloom with saffron in first-of-its-kind Ladakh pilot project

Srinagar, Oct 2 (UNI) A barren patch of land in Leh is set to bloom with saffron for the first time, marking a new experiment in agricultural diversification in the high-altitude cold desert of Ladakh.
Nearly 800 kg of premium Iranian saffron corms, numbering around 90,000, have been planted across 4,000 square metres of recently restored land at Command Area Gate No. 27 in Spituk Pharka, under Project Him Sarovar, an initiative being guided by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
Agriculture experts expect the pilot project to yield a good quantity of saffron. The saffron- which has been cultivated for centuries in Kashmir’s Pampore- is among the world’s most valuable spices and is prized for its distinctive colour, aroma and flavour
Officials said buoyed by the stupendous success of the Lilium flower fields in Ladakh, Lieutenant Governor Saxena has undertaken another agricultural-diversification exercise of growing saffron in Ladakh.
They said the initiative is guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of diversifying traditional agricultural practices for financial sustainability and economic empowerment of the farmers and the youth.
Saffron plantation in Ladakh builds on the Administration’s successful experiment with high-value floriculture, particularly the massive cultivation of Lilium and Gladiolus in Leh, that has opened new employment and livelihood opportunities for farmers, Self-Help Groups and other local entrepreneurs.
The pilot saffron cultivation is being undertaken at Command Area Gate No. 27 at Spituk Pharka in Leh. For this purpose, high-quality Iranian saffron corms with a circumference of 8 to 10 cm, a diameter of 2.5 to 3 cm or larger, and a weight of 10 grams or more, which are considered the best corms, have been planted. These specifications are considered suitable for high-quality saffron production.
LG Saxena said the saffron plantation has immense potential to strengthen our local economy by introducing another high-value crop under Ladakh’s unique high-altitude agro-climatic conditions. This, he said, would also bust the myth that saffron cannot be grown in Ladakh and that the barren or degraded land could not be restored.
“Our endeavour is to transform degraded and barren land into productive assets and create new opportunities for our farmers. The introduction of saffron is another important experiment in crop diversification, which can open a new avenue for enhancing farmers’ incomes through a premium-value crop,” said LG Saxena.
Jammu and Kashmir is the primary region for saffron cultivation in India, accounting for approximately 90 per cent of the country’s total production.
Its introduction in Ladakh is, therefore, being undertaken as a pilot to assess its suitability to the region’s climatic conditions and explore its economic potential.
The saffron plantation site is part of the 800 acres of land being restored in Leh by bringing fresh water from the adjoining Igoo–Phey irrigation canal, which was recently restored and operationalised. On the directions of the Lieutenant Governor, unutilised or excess water from the canal is being channelled towards the barren land to increase its moisture content and make it suitable for cultivation.
The Command Area also has four water ponds as part of Project Him Sarovar, which are located adjacent to the site, with a combined storage capacity of around 24 million litres. UNI MJR SAS
Tags: #Leh’s barren land set to bloom with saffron in first-of-its-kind Ladakh pilot project
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