SRINAGAR: Police have seized around 1.75 quintals of saffron corms during checking in Pampore area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, officials said.
Agriculture Officer Ashiq Hussain said the seizure was made at a checkpoint established by Pampore Police Station as the sale of saffron corms outside the Union Territory is banned.
“The sale of saffron corms outside the Union Territory is banned. In this regard, Police Station Pampore set up a checkpoint. During the check, this quantity of saffron corms was seized,” Hussain said.
He said the seized saffron corms were being handed over to the Agriculture Department at the police station for completion of legal formalities and further action.
Hussain said the planting material belonged to Kashmir, particularly Pampore, and stressed the need to prevent its movement outside the Union Territory to ensure its availability for local cultivation.
He said taking saffron corms outside JK could lead to a shortage of planting material in the region and affect efforts to preserve the traditional crop.
