Saffron blooms in the north-east: A new dawn for farmers

For years, saffron cultivation in India has been synonymous with the Kashmir Valley, but the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) has changed the narrative.

- ABHIJIT DEB

For years, saffron cultivation in India has been synonymous with the Kashmir Valley, but the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) has changed the narrative. Through innovative technology, scientific planning and farmer training, NECTAR has successfully cultivated saffron in the north-east, opening new doors of opportunity for local farmers.

NECTAR's journey into saffron cultivation began in 2021-22 with a pilot project spanning Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Sikkim. Using geospatial technology, NECTAR identified 17 potential cultivation sites where saffron could thrive. The initiative, which trained farmers in optimum cultivation practices, has now scaled up to larger projects in Menchukha (Arunachal Pradesh) and Yuksom (Sikkim), where the high-altitude, cold climate closely mimics the traditional saffron-growing conditions of Kashmir.