Saffron is known to be the most expensive spice in the world for a reason because it could cost upto a whopping Rs 1,50,000 for a kilogram. So an Agra-based farmer has now decided to give up potato farming and instead grow Saffron.
According to India Today, the farmer's efforts are expected to bear fruit by April 2020, when the saffron flowers bloom. The farmer has been identified as Shishupal Singh who is from Agra's Runakta area.
A senior official from the agriculture department told India Today that with the current price of saffron being Rs 80,000 to Rs 1 lakh per kilogram, this could mean a huge profit to the farmers. 40-50 farmers have contacted the agriculture department for growing the crop. However, he warned, this crop could only be grown in the supervision of experts.
Saffron, which is cultivated mainly in four districts of Jammu and Kashmir -- Pulwama, Budgam, Srinagar and Kishtwar -- is in great demand for its medicinal, cosmetic and aromatic properties. Saffron is also known as the golden spice, the quality of Kashmir's saffron is the best in the world and in terms of production, it is second only to Iran.
