Afghan officials undergo training in saffron cultivation in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Afghan officials undergo training in saffron cultivation in Indian-controlled Kashmir

A 25- member team from Afghanistan's Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) is currently undergoing a specialized training in saffron cultivation in Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said Friday.

The visiting delegation comprising of senior officers and agricultural experts are being trained by experts at Sher-i- Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in growing this costliest spice.

The delegation reached Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-controlled Kashmir Sunday for a week-long training course.

Apart from imparting theoretical classes, the visiting delegation was taken to field trip to saffron fields and Saffron Research Center at Pampore.

"Experts in saffron cultivation at SKUAST are providing training and opinion to the visiting Afghan delegation about how saffron is grown," said Niyaz Ahmad, a technical officer at Saffron Research Center, Pampore. "They were also shown saffron fields and educated how the fields are managed and bulbs sown."

Pampore town in the outskirts of Srinagar is known for its vast saffron fields.

Apart from Kashmir, saffron is grown mostly at two places in the world - Iran and Spain. While Iran accounts for about 70 percent of total world production, the quality of the Kashmir Saffron is considered the best.

Saffron bulbs germinate underneath the dry earth sprouting green shoots. In November, the bulbs bloom with purple flowers spotting red threads (stigma).

"We are here to see the latest trends that are put in place to get better yields of saffron, so that we can implement these back at home to see increased yields," said Naseem Attai, head of the visiting Afghan delegation.

Afghanistan, in particular Herat, has the ideal climate for growing saffron.

Currently it is considered to be the major supplier of illicit opium in South Asia. The production and processing of narcotic drugs has distorted the image of country.

"Poppy cultivation has wreaked havoc there and we want to get rid of poppy menace," said Rafiq, another delegate. "We are contemplating to introduce the saffron cultivation at vast scale so that farmers there switch to this crop and gain better yields."

The Afghan officials are hopeful that saffron might bring economic benefits besides helping in image building of the country.

Editor: yan

English.news.cn   2011-11-19 01:19:35 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Nov. 18 (Xinhua)