Good News
Ladakh grows saffron on restored barren land, harvesting 22 g in the first four days
Flowers bloomed in under 30 days in Leh, pointing to a new source of income in the cold desert.
In short
22 gsaffron in the first 4 days
- Corms planted: ~90,000
- Area: 4,000 sq m
- Peak blooms in a day: 72
The project
Under Project Him Sarovar, Ladakh's Agriculture Department planted about 90,000 saffron corms on 4,000 sq m of restored land in Leh on 1 October. Flowers appeared in under 30 days, against the usual two months.
The harvest
The first four days produced about 22 g of saffron. Blooms averaged 20–25 a day and peaked at 72 on 1 November. Officials hope saffron, one of the world's most expensive spices, can become a new livelihood for Ladakh's farmers.
Read the original reporting
The Better India↗
