Ladakh Tests High-Altitude Saffron Farming as Cold Desert Seeks New Cash Crop
Ladakh has begun an ambitious experiment in saffron cultivation at Spituk Pharka in Leh, where 800 kg of premium Iranian saffron corms have been planted across 4,000 square metres. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said the initiative could help diversify livelihoods in the cold desert by testing whether one of the world’s most valuable spices can adapt to the region’s extreme climate and sparse water conditions.
