Nearly 90,000 premium Iranian saffron corms planted across 4,000 sq metres of restored barren land in Leh to test the crop’s viability in high-altitude conditions
Leh, October 2026 : Ladakh has launched a pilot project to cultivate saffron for the first time, planting nearly 90,000 premium Iranian saffron corms weighing around 800 kg across 4,000 square metres of previously barren land at Spituk Pharka in Leh.
The initiative has been undertaken by the Ladakh Administration under the guidance of Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena as part of a broader effort to restore degraded land, diversify agriculture and create new livelihood opportunities in the Union Territory.
The saffron plantation follows earlier experiments with high-value floriculture crops, including Lilium and Gladiolus. According to officials, these initiatives have helped create livelihood opportunities for farmers, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and local entrepreneurs.
The plantation site forms part of nearly 800 acres of land being rejuvenated under the administration’s land-restoration programme in Leh. Water is being supplied to the area through the adjoining Igoo-Phey irrigation canal, which was recently restored and brought back into operation.
As part of the land-rejuvenation effort, excess water from the canal is being diverted towards the previously barren areas to improve soil moisture and make the land suitable for cultivation. The area also has four water ponds developed under Project Him Sarovar, with a combined storage capacity of around 24 million litres.
The saffron corms used in the pilot project have a circumference of 8-10 cm, a diameter of 2.5-3 cm or more and a minimum weight of 10 grams. The administration will assess whether the premium Iranian variety can adapt to Ladakh’s distinctive high-altitude agro-climatic conditions and determine its potential economic viability for local farmers.
Jammu and Kashmir remains India’s principal saffron-producing region, accounting for around 90 per cent of the country’s saffron production, according to the Ladakh Administration. Officials have emphasised that the Ladakh initiative is being undertaken only as a pilot experiment and is not intended to replace or compete with the established saffron industry of Kashmir.
If successful, the experiment could introduce another high-value crop to Ladakh’s agricultural economy and provide farmers with an additional source of income. It could also demonstrate the potential of rehabilitated barren land for specialised agricultural activities in the high-altitude region.
The administration said the saffron project forms part of a wider strategy to convert degraded and barren land into productive assets while generating new livelihood opportunities for farmers, youth and Self-Help Groups.
The pilot project is expected to provide valuable insights into crop adaptation, irrigation requirements and cultivation practices, which could help determine the future scope of saffron farming in Ladakh.
