Kashmir’s saffron, once a symbol of cultural pride and economic vitality, is facing an existential crisis driven by climate change, industrial pollution, and government neglect. The legendary purple blooms of Pampore’s karewas are giving way to parched earth, failed irrigation schemes, and dwindling yields. Farmers, burdened by financial losses and market adulteration, are abandoning the crop, risking the loss of a heritage cultivated for centuries. Without urgent reforms, pollution control, and sustainable irrigation, the ‘red gold’ of Kashmir may fade into history.
