What if one of many world’s most luxurious spices may very well be grown removed from its conventional residence in Kashmir, not within the soil, however indoors?
Saffron, typically known as “crimson gold”, is treasured throughout the globe for its vivid color, delicate threads, and wealthy aroma. For hundreds of years, it has thrived within the chilly climes of Kashmir. However now, this treasured spice is starting to bloom in unlikely locations, due to a brand new era of innovators who see its potential past custom.
On the forefront of this variation are two associates from Gujarat — Subhash Kanetiya and Ashish Bavaliya — who dared to ask a daring query: Can saffron develop in a lab, within the coronary heart of western India?
Pushed by curiosity and a shared love for agriculture, the duo started experimenting with indoor saffron farming in temperature-controlled environments, one thing by no means earlier than tried of their area.
Subhash, who holds levels in each biotechnology and agriculture, teamed up with Ashish, a fellow agri-tech pupil he met at Navsari Agricultural College. What began as a pupil venture quickly blossomed right into a pioneering enterprise that would reshape how India grows saffron.
Subhash, a 23-year-old from Bhadravadi village in Bhavnagar, had all the time needed to interrupt away from conventional farming, which was the mainstay of his household. His dad and mom have been conventional farmers, rising groundnuts, millets, and greens like cabbage and cauliflower on their household land.
“I needed to do one thing totally different in farming,” he says. Whereas learning in Surat, he got here throughout a analysis paper about saffron farming in Iran. “I noticed how they have been rising saffron on a big scale, and I believed, why not do that in Gujarat? It felt like the proper alternative to convey one thing new to the desk,” he tells The Higher India.
‘I all the time needed to strive one thing unconventional in agriculture’
“I did some analysis on indoor saffron farming, and the thought of rising this spice in a managed setting fascinated me,” he remembers. “I noticed it as an opportunity to revamp farming in Gujarat, the place the local weather doesn’t naturally assist saffron cultivation. I researched every thing about this farming, together with the strategies utilized in Iran, the place the spice is grown on a big scale.”
Ashish, 25, from Hamapur village in Amreli district, confirmed equal curiosity when his buddy mentioned the thought with him. He got here from a cotton-farming background, however the want to do one thing totally different in agriculture burnt brightly in him as properly. “I all the time needed to strive one thing unconventional in agriculture, and saffron appeared like the proper problem,” he provides.
In 2022, the duo took their first step in the direction of making indoor saffron farming a actuality. With restricted sources however quite a lot of enthusiasm, they began their pilot venture in a 50-square-foot room on Ashish’s farm in Amreli.
Neither of them had sensible expertise in saffron farming, however their educational backgrounds and intense analysis gave them the data they wanted.
To kickstart their saffron farming journey, the 2 associates sourced 10 kg of saffron bulbs for Rs 800 per kg from a neighborhood vendor in Kashmir. “We discovered the bulbs on-line and determined to purchase them immediately from Kashmir, the place saffron is grown historically in India,” Subhash explains.
With the bulbs in hand, they made an preliminary funding of Rs 30,000 to arrange their system. “The cash went into shopping for gear like air con, a humidifier, and wood trays,” Ashish says. “We selected aeroponics as a result of it doesn’t want soil, which makes it good for indoor farming,” he provides.
Aeroponics is a technique the place crops are suspended within the air, with their roots misted by a nutrient-rich resolution. “It’s a cleaner and extra environment friendly manner of rising, and it allowed us to experiment with saffron in a managed setting,” he explains.
“Our setup included a 3×10-foot chilled fridge to keep up the best temperature, humidifiers to maintain the air moist, and wood trays with holes to carry the bulbs,” explains Subhash. The preliminary funding additionally included prices for a generator for an uninterrupted energy provide and develop lights.
The primary few weeks have been difficult. The duo labored tirelessly, managing their time between the venture and different commitments. Subhash was working within the advertising division of a neighborhood pesticide firm whereas making an attempt to maintain the saffron venture afloat. Nonetheless, inside 15 days after planting, they noticed the primary sprout seem.
“We weren’t positive if it might work, however once we noticed that first flower, we knew we have been heading in the right direction,” says Ashish.
A blooming miracle in a 216 sq ft room
With the success of their pilot venture, the younger entrepreneurs have been able to scale up their enterprise. In 2023, they launched Hightech Agribiotech, an organization devoted to indoor saffron farming. This time, they made a a lot bigger funding, totalling Rs 13 lakh, pooling funds from household, family, and associates, and expanded to a 216-square-foot room at Ashish’s farm.
The majority of the funding went into buying saffron bulbs, as they determined to buy 500 kg of bulbs, priced at Rs 900-1,000 per kg. The remainder of the cash went into enhancing their infrastructure, like enhancing temperature management, including extra humidifiers, and upgrading their develop lights.
“We had learnt quite a bit from the pilot venture, so once we moved to the bigger scale, we have been extra assured,” says Subhash. The brand new setup included air con, a generator for backup energy, a humidifier so as to add nutrient-rich moisture to the air, and wood trays with holes.
As soon as the setup was in place, they planted the saffron bulbs in July 2023. “Inside 15-20 days, we noticed the primary sprouts seem,” he explains. As the times went on, the flowering course of started round 50 days later, in early September. “The flowering began proper on schedule, which was actually thrilling,” Ashish provides. “We learnt that saffron flowers finest at temperatures between 17 and 25 levels Celsius, so we made positive our setup was excellent.”
The harvest cycle, which generally lasts round three to 4 months, was accomplished in November throughout their first yr. “In our first yr, we managed only one harvest and have been in a position to produce one kg of saffron,” Subhash remembers.
By 2024, they have been able to push additional. “In our second yr, we determined to go for 2 harvests,” says Ashish. “The primary one ran from August to November, and the second from March to June.” In complete, they harvested two kg of saffron final yr. “Contemplating this was solely our second yr, it felt like an enormous achievement for us,” he provides.
In addition they deal with multiplying the saffron seeds (popularly often known as saffron bulbs). “Saffron bulbs, or Crocus Sativus, multiply naturally via corms, that are small bulbs that develop across the mom bulb,” the 23-year-old entrepreneur explains. “In spring, the mom bulb produces smaller daughter corms, which take vitamins from it. By the tip of spring, the mom bulb is used up by the daughter corms, and within the fall, the brand new corms bloom into flowers.”
To make sure the bulbs develop wholesome, they use a particular compost mixture of coco peat and vermicompost. “We additionally be certain the situations are excellent, together with temperatures between 17 and 25 levels Celsius and 12-14 hours of sunshine every day, to assist the corms develop properly,” he provides. This strategy ensures a gentle provide of bulbs for future harvests and likewise for promoting.
No mentors, simply the web: How YouTube and analysis papers grew to become their guides
The journey to success posed its personal dangers and obstacles for the 2 younger entrepreneurs. The duo spent months researching aeroponics and temperature management programs to make sure their setup was optimised for saffron cultivation. With nobody round them doing the identical sort of farming, they needed to rely closely on on-line analysis and educational papers.
“We spent hours watching YouTube movies, studying from others’ experiences, and diving deep into analysis papers. It was a variety of trial and error, however these sources gave us the data we wanted to make our system work,” explains Subhash.
Their arduous work started to repay once they began their gross sales on-line. The demand for his or her saffron grew, and so they discovered methods to promote it via social media platforms like Instagram, Fb, and LinkedIn. Their saffron just isn’t solely being bought throughout India however can also be reaching prospects in London, with worldwide courier companies serving to them ship it abroad.
“Social media has turn out to be our strongest advertising software,” Subhash explains. “It permits us to attach immediately with consumers and construct a loyal buyer base. Whereas I deal with the advertising and gross sales aspect of issues, Ashish focuses on the cultivation and administration of the saffron.”
The duo is now incomes a stable revenue from their saffron manufacturing. They promote their saffron at Rs 900 per gram, round Rs 9 lakh per kilogram. It took them roughly a yr to earn again their preliminary funding. As well as, they’re promoting saffron seeds, priced at Rs 900-1,000 per kg, and providing coaching to aspiring saffron farmers.
‘We’re devoted to instructing saffron farming to assist folks in Gujarat’
Ramesh, a neighborhood farmer who lives close to Ashish’s home, attended the saffron farming coaching, and he says, “Earlier than I learnt about it, I had no thought saffron may very well be grown indoors. I all the time thought it was particular to the Kashmir local weather. After taking the coaching, I made a decision to provide it a strive at residence, and I realised that it was not as tough as I imagined, when you perceive the best temperature and situations. With the data and seeds I obtained, I used to be in a position to begin rising saffron, and now it has turn out to be a gentle supply of revenue for me.”
“We’re devoted to instructing saffron farming to assist folks in Gujarat create sustainable incomes via it,” says Ashish. “Now we have educated 200 folks thus far, ranging from 2023, together with college students from agricultural programs and native farmers who needed to discover one thing new.”
“We’re completely happy we selected to not comply with the standard farming route. Whereas the preliminary bills for rising this crop in our area have been increased, the rewards have been value each funding,” shares Subhash. Their journey into experimental farming taught the younger duo the worth of taking dangers, and at present, they aren’t solely reaping the advantages but in addition empowering others to take daring steps of their agricultural ventures.
Edited by Leila Badyari; All photos courtesy Subhash Kanetiya and Ashish Bavaliya
