Tough times for saffron and silk in Kashmir

Times are tough for the saffron and silk producers of the Kashmir valley. Both industries are labor intensive and are losing land and market share to modern developments.

SRINAGAR, INDIA (Catholic Online) - The people of Kashmir have made their living for generations on the production and export of saffron and silk. Now, imitation saffron and saffron that has been "cut" to add to its weight, are driving naturally produced saffron off the market. Meanwhile, cheap silk produced in China is undercutting the silk produced in Kashmir. 

Adding to the problem, the lush valley is being overrun with housing developments, reducing the amount of land available for cultivation.

In the past year alone, experts estimate that saffron production in the Kashmir valley has dropped by as much as 60 percent. Silk production has dropped to almost half of what it was just 30 years previously. The number of people producing silkworms has dropped from a high of 60,000 in 1947 to 7,161 in 1995, the last year for which statistics are available. The actual figures are probably much lower than that. 

The silk industry has also dropped labor, from a high of 1,830 workers to the present total of less than 200. 

Locals blame chemically treated and imitation saffron for the decline. Few consumers can distinguish between real and fake saffron, but the artificially produced saffron sells for a fraction of the price of the genuine. That means vendors and customers tend to prefer the artificial saffron. 
Growers are producing labor intensive crops and receiving diminishing returns on them. As the returns decline, so does the incentive to produce. 

Locals complain that the government isn't doing enough to protect their industries. Shafat Ahmad, a local silk rearer said, "the invasion of Chinese silk in the market and the lack of government policy or proper protections for domestic producers has practically killed our local industry." He added that the low prices charged by Chinese producers has made it virtually impossible to compete. 

Local officials have taken note of the trends and have made reports to the government which outline the problem. It remains to be seen if the government will take any steps to protect the traditional crops-and way of life, for the farmers of the Kashmir valley. 

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