Khunti: In Jharkhand's Khunti, the most dangerous bastion of the Naxalites, it was once the site of Maoist movements, gunfire and bomb blasts. The district also used to be in the news for the Patthalgadi movement and cultivation of opium. But now the breeze of development is flowing here and soon the fragrance of saffron is going to spread all around.
The Naxalites, in whose name the villagers of the area used to tremble, have returned to the mainstream society and have today become examples of good human beings. In fact, former area commanders of Peoples' Liberation Front of India (PLFI), Charaku Pahan and Nageshwar Pahan had left the path of violence about 8 years ago. Some time back, they learned the technique of planting saffron from YouTube, ordered for seeds and started farming.
Initiative to grow saffron
Charaku Pahan told ETV Bharat that after surrendering he started paddy cultivation but it did not turn out to be much profitable. Sometime back, when he saw about the cultivation of saffron on YouTube, he decided to order seeds; and then he started cultivating saffron. At the same time, Nageshwar Pahan said that poppy cultivation has been going on secretly in the district which leads to police raids and also increases the risk of youth being caught in criminal activities.
Saffron cultivation will increase profits and also, there will be no problem.
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Inspiration for villagers
Charaku and Nageshwar have become a source of inspiration to the other villagers of the district and now, they are also thinking of cultivating saffron. The villagers hope that it will make a profit and also help get rid of the stigma of opium and red terror on the Khunti.
The villager Baju Pahan said that there used to be panic and fear on hearing the names of Charaku and Nageshwar but now together they are changing the image of the village. They have not only found the way to earn profits from the cultivation of saffron but they are also at the same time encouraging the villagers who have been cultivating opium till now.
Opium seeds are available for five hundred rupees per kg while saffron seeds are available for 70 thousand rupees per kilogram. Despite this, the desire for change can be seen clearly in the villagers of Khunti. The saffron crop in the fields will be ready in four months. After lab testing of saffron, it can be sold in the market.
Saffron, also known as Zafran or Kesar is cultivated extensively in Jammu and Kashmir. Generally, the cost of one kg saffron can be anywhere between 1 lakh and 3 lakh rupees. It can be planted only in a particular climatic condition and the climate of Khunti is considered favourable for this. It is sown in the month of August-September and the crop is ready in December-January. Three saffron strands can be separated from a single flower of saffron. In this way, about one kg saffron is obtained from about two lakh flowers.
