By Syed Zahid Jan
UPPER DIR: The District Department of Agriculture Upper Dir has successfully cultivated saffron on an experimental basis with the cooperation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. Saffron was cultivated on 16 kanals of land in three tehsils of Dir, Wadi, and Larjam, and the results were extremely successful. Local farmers welcomed the cultivation of saffron and expressed their happiness.
When contacted, Director of Agriculture Upper Dir, Islam Haq, and Deputy Director Muhammad Parvez said that initially, eight districts were selected under the Annual Development Program (ADP) scheme of the Department of Agriculture to cultivate saffron in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Upper Dir was one of them.
They said that the climate of Upper Dir is very suitable for saffron cultivation, and it was expected that saffron would be successfully cultivated here. However, convincing farmers to cultivate a new crop was a major challenge, but registered farmers in Upper Dir were more willing to cultivate saffron than those in other districts.
Director of Agriculture Islam Ul Haq said that initially, saffron bulbs were planted on an experimental basis in Upper Dir. Three tehsils were selected for saffron cultivation, and saffron bulbs were provided to farmers in the areas of Nahag Dara, Gandigar, Ushri Dara, and Dodba Dir. The cultivation was extremely successful, and the saffron plants produced beautiful flowers.
A local farmer, from Gadigar area Aijaz Khan, said that initially, they faced difficulties, but with the grace of Allah, the saffron crop was more successful than expected. He said that saffron is a profitable crop, and its price is Rs. 12 lakh per kilogram.
Another farmer, Mukhtiar Khan, said that he also cultivated saffron on one kanal of land, and it was successful. He thanked the Department of Agriculture for providing saffron bulbs free of cost and said that he would cultivate more saffron in the future.
The Director of Agriculture department Islam ulHaq and Deputy Director Muhammad Perviz expressed their happiness over the successful cultivation of saffron and said that it was a result of the hard work of farmers and the cooperation of the government. They said that saffron cultivation would provide employment opportunities and increase the income of farmers.
The farmers said that they were initially hesitant to cultivate saffron, but the success of the crop has encouraged them to cultivate more saffron in the future. Saffron is a profitable crop, and its price is Rs. 12 lakh per kilogram. Saffron cultivation would provide employment opportunities and increase the income of farmers.
Saffron is used in various industries, including food, medicine, and cosmetics.Saffron is a drought-resistant crop and can thrive in areas with limited water resources.
Convincing farmers to cultivate a new crop was a major challenge.Saffron bulbs were not available locally and had to be imported from Iran and Afghanistan The climate and soil conditions in Upper Dir were not familiar to saffron cultivation.
The Department of Agriculture plans to expand saffron cultivation to other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The department will provide training and support to farmers to cultivate saffron.The department will establish a saffron processing unit to add value to the crop and increase the income of farmers.
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