Pampore: Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Sundeep Kumar Nayak on Thursday visited Spice Park at Dussu Pampore.
He was accompanied by Director Agriculture Kashmir, Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi, Chief Scientist Saffron Research Station SKUAST-K Prof. Dr. F.A. Nehvi and other officers of the department.
During his visit, Principal Secretary visited different sections of the Spice Park and was briefed by the concerned officers about various facilities for preserving, grading, processing and marketing of saffron.
An interactive session was held also in which different saffron growers’ associations raised various issues and demands, including blanket ban on imported saffron, establishment of registered outlets for the sale of saffron across the country.
Representatives of saffron growers also demanded establishment of grievance cell to address various technical issues faced by the growers, besides an assured irrigation facility.
Sundeep Kumar Nayak assured the representatives of saffron growers associations that their genuine demands and issues will be addressed at earliest. He said the Spice Park establishment will be a solution to all their grievances and will help in boosting economy as saffron will be sold, graded and imported to various countries from this platform only. He said saffron will be sealed and certified in valley that will be a trademark for Kashmiri saffron.”
Director Agriculture Kashmir while addressing the gathering said every possible support and technical expertise to the saffron growers will be provided by the department of agriculture.
