Bilal Habib
Pampore, August 18: Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Department Javaid Ahmad Dar, accompanied by Pampore MLA and retired Justice Hasnain Masoodi, on Monday visited several areas of Pampore constituency and the Indian International Kashmir Saffron Trade Centre (IIKSTC) Dusoo to review farmers’ concerns and the progress of saffron cultivation under the National Saffron Mission.
During their visit to Chandhara, Lethpora, Khrew and other saffron-growing belts, the Minister and the MLA held extensive interactions with local farmers. On the occasion Growers raised several long-pending issues, particularly the non-functionality of borewells constructed under the Saffron Mission, which they said has hampered irrigation and adversely affected productivity. They also voiced concerns over the export of saffron corms outside Kashmir.
The Minister assured that these grievances would be addressed at the earliest, noting that around 128 borewells had been constructed, many of which remain non-operational. He promised to convene a follow-up meeting in Srinagar with the Principal Secretary and senior officials to devise a plan for making all borewells fully functional.
The visit also featured a training programme organised by the Agriculture Department under ATMA 2025–26 at IIKSTC Dusoo. The programme, attended by senior officials including Director Agriculture Kashmir Sartaj Ahmad Shah, ADC Awantipora Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, Tehsildar Pampore Malik Asif Ahmad, Chief Agriculture Officer Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman, and BDO Pampore Sa ima Ramzan, focused on modern agricultural practices, capacity building, and farmer welfare. Representatives of the Saffron Growers Association, led by Abdul Majeed Wani, also participated.
On the occasion, sanction letters for tractors, brush cutters, motorized shaft cutters, and vermicompost units were distributed among beneficiaries. The dignitaries appreciated the department’s outreach and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening saffron cultivation and allied agricultural activities in Pulwama district.
Speaking to Kashmir Convener, Minister Javaid Dar said the visit was part of a commitment he had made in the Assembly after MLA Hasnain Masoodi raised the issue of the Saffron Mission. “Although it is raining, we made it a point to meet farmers in the fields. We have listened carefully to their concerns, and our effort will be to work out practical solutions,” he said.
Referring to the issue of saffron corm exports, the Minister revealed that the department had recently seized 1.5 quintals of corms being smuggled outside the Union Territory. He assured that a mechanism would soon be put in place to prevent such practices, which threaten the local saffron economy.
Both the Minister and the MLA emphasised that Pampore, often called “Saffron Town,” is central to the Valley’s agrarian identity, and that strengthening the sector remains a top priority.
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