• India has identified the Northeast region as the next saffron cultivation hub under the Mission Saffron Initiative, aiming to expand saffron farming beyond Jammu & Kashmir’s Pampore.

Mission Saffron Initiative

• Launched: 2010-11 (Initially for Jammu & Kashmir).
• Objective: Promote saffron cultivation with financial, technical, and infrastructural support.
• Expansion: Since 2021, extended to the Northeast (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya) under the “Saffron Bowl Project” by NECTAR.

Reason for Expansion:

• Northeast has suitable agro-climatic conditions for saffron farming.
• Expansion ensures better supply and price stability.
• Current Saffron Production in India
• Kashmir saffron (grown in Pampore, Pulwama, and Budgam) holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• India’s production is limited, requiring imports to meet demand.
• North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR)

Established: 2014

• Governing Body: Autonomous institute under DST, Government of India

Functions:

• Promotes technology-driven solutions for agriculture, infrastructure, and economic growth in the Northeast.
• Implementing agency for the Saffron Bowl Project.