Fozia Azam

Saffron has been successfully grown for the first time in the Bara tehsil of the Khyber district, and now harvesting has begun, Director Agriculture for the Khyber district Ziaul Islam Dawar has said.  Compared to other crops, saffron has brought in a sizable profit for farmers, he said and added that the Tirah valley is an excellent location for saffron growth. According to him, the Khyber Agriculture Department has accomplished yet another milestone by successfully cultivating the saffron crop under the new provincial agriculture strategy.

He thanked the cooperation and directions of Agriculture Minister Mohibullah Khan and Secretary Dr Muhammad Asrar Khan. Ziaul Islam said that many regions of the Bara tehsil, including Mandika, Daru Ada, and Surkas Bara, have begun to see effective farming. Farmers, he said, have praised the Agriculture Department for teaching them about contemporary farming practises and assisting their learning. They have urged the government to offer saffron seeds so that production could be expanded. 

According to the agriculture director, orchards are being planted on 6,000 acres as part of the Frontier Corps Enforcement Project, and 1.3 million olive seedlings are being planted in other tribal areas, including Khyber. Ziaul Islam said the Tirah Valley in the Khyber District, in particular, is a highly desirable location for saffron cultivation because of its great cold climate. He said that the correct stewardship of natural resources is a top priority of the Agriculture Department. The most lucrative crop, according to him, is saffron, and effective measures are being taken to boost output.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk