IDUKKI: Kanthalloor, known for its winter fruits, vegetable cultivation and scenic locales, is set to emerge as the hub of saffron cultivation in the state, with the ‘Kashmir of Kerala’ found suitable to grow the ‘red gold’. As part of the pilot project launched by Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), under the guidance of the Indian Council for Agriculture Research (ICAR), at various locations in Idukki, including Vattavada, Kanthalloor and Vagamon, a farmer based in Perumala region of Kanthalloor successfully cultivated saffron on 25 cents of land.
“It was in 2022 that KVK organised a campaign in Kanthalloor asking farmers to take up saffron cultivation on an experimental basis,” Ramamoorthy told TNIE. Ramamoorthy along with four others evinced interest. They received seeds from KVK.
Officials, lead by specialist (plant protection) Sudhakar Soundarajan handed over the seeds, which were procured from Jammu & Kashmir, the saffron hub of the country . “Although the plants bore flowers last year, nearly half of the bloom on my plot was destroyed due to the unexpected downpour in the area. The vagaries of climate also resulted in other farmers losing their crop,” he said.
Ramamoorthy, however, was not ready to give up. He did not plant any other crop on the plot and left it uncultivated for a year until, upon his request, he received more saffron seeds from KVK officials in September this year. This time, Ramamoorthy grew saffron in the open on 12 cents and the rest in a polyhouse. “The saffron planted in open land bloomed 50 days later. The total harvest will be calculated after the plants in the polyhouse bloom,” he said.
According to KVK officials, one acre under saffron cultivation can generate up to a kilogram of harvest. “The market price of saffron is hovering around Rs 3 lakh/kg. Since our cultivation was experimental, profitability can only be determined after the produce is sold,” Ramamoorthy added. Ramamoorthy said compared to other crops, saffron needs special care as once the flowers bloom they should be plucked and sun dried at the right time. “It takes one week to sun dry the flowers,” he said
“Since Perumala is the highest point in Kanthalloor, at 5,000ft above the sea level, where hailstorms are frequent, the climate is suitable for growing saffron. If the crop proves to be profitable, more farmers in Kanthalloor will take it up,” Ramamoorthy said.