Centre to take steps to boost saffron production in Kashmir: Shivraj Chouhan

Highlighting ‘saffron’ as a symbol of Kashmir’s identity, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday announced that the central government will establish a tissue culture lab and nursery to boost saffron production in Kashmir.

He said the National Saffron Mission will be revised to suit local conditions, and an expert team of scientists will be formed to improve productivity and reduce losses.

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The Minister held a detailed review meeting with Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar.

Speaking to media persons later, Chouhan said that 5 lakh houseless people have been identified in J&K, and they will be allotted homes after proper verification.

He noted that 93% of houses under the PM Awas Yojana have been completed, and the remaining eligible beneficiaries will be allotted homes after verification. To alleviate rural poverty, women are being empowered through Self-Help Groups under NRLM, with many becoming Lakhpati Didis and even Millionaire Didis earning Rs 10 lakh annually.

Chouhan emphasised that a developed Jammu & Kashmir is crucial to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’. Several important decisions were taken in the interest of farmers and rural residents of the region, he said.

He said that agriculture remains the backbone of both the Indian and Jammu & Kashmir economies, with nearly 50% of the population depending on it for livelihood. He praised the state’s initiative ‘Kisan Khidmat Ghar’ — a one-stop centre providing farmers access to all agricultural services under one roof.

Chouhan expressed satisfaction with the variety of horticulture crops grown in the region, such as apples, almonds, and walnuts. However, he also raised a critical issue — imported plant materials often turn out to be infected after two or three years. To address this, a Rs 150-crore Clean Plant Centre will be established in Srinagar under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). It will focus on clean, disease-free planting material for apples, almonds, walnuts, and berries. Private nurseries will also be supported to ensure high-quality, pathogen-free plants are made available to farmers.

Commenting on the demand for a Regional Horticulture Centre in the Jammu region, Chouhan announced that ICAR would support the Jammu Agricultural University with the required infrastructure.

The minister further said that the current storage limit in CA (Controlled Atmosphere) facilities would be extended from 18 months to 24 months. For the horticulture mission, subsidies will be provided for up to a storage capacity of 5,000 metric tons, and even those who have constructed facilities with 6,000 MT capacity will be eligible for a subsidy up to 5,000 MT. An MoU will also be signed between ICAR and the university to facilitate cooperation.

For improving soil health and fertiliser regulation, Quality Control Labs will be set up in Kathua, Baramulla, and Anantnag. Under the RKVY scheme, efforts will also be made to enhance irrigation by bridging the gaps from the canal to the field.

Regarding employment, he said that targets have been set to ensure job availability through MGNREGA, and training programmes for youth will also begin shortly. The government will also ensure that no eligible farmer is left out of the Kisan Credit Card scheme.