Saffron from Kashmir to Kodaikanal - A Groundbreaker in Kodaikanal Agriculture & its Real Estate

Kodaikanal is famous for cultivation of English vegetables like Carrot, unique fruits like Avakoda (popularly known as Butter fruit), cash crops like pepper and exotic flower ‘Kurinji’ which flourish once in 12 years. The farmers in Kodaikanal always keep exploring the opportunities of cultivating other cash crops, exotic fruits and spices making use of the region’s chill climate advantage.

A group of Ooty farmers already brought high quality apple saplings from Kashmir and succeeded in cultivating it. Similarly, a former from Kodaikanal took initiative and explored the opportunity to cultivate Saffron which is the ‘most expensive spices in the world’ – A Saffron corm produces maximum three flowers from which Saffron threads are collected. The entire process from cultivation till harvesting of Saffron threads made manually and several thousands of blossoms are required to produce one ounce of Saffron that is why Saffron is a high value low volume spice comparing to others.

Iran is the largest producer of Saffron in the world followed by the Kashmir region in India. Out of which, Kashmir saffron is rated as high quality due to rich read colour and stronger aroma. There is an ever increasing demand for Saffron across the globe in diverse industries like medical, cosmetic, food, dye, etc and for religious purposes. On the other hand, Saffron cultivation in Kashmir region dropped 20% in last couple of decades. Government took initiative in the form of ‘National Saffron Mission’ which encourage cultivation of Saffron in India beyond Jammu & Kashmir state. 

The Kodaikanal former visited Kashmir and brought corms of the Saffron crocus from the Central Institute of Temperature Horticulture, Srinagar about eight years back and started cultivating them in Polyhouses at Kavunji, Mannavanur region of Kodaikanal. He successfully multiplied corms which is a crucial stage, cultivated Saffron crocus, collected Saffron from the flowers in a small scale and established the feasibility.

Saffron crop can tolerate subzero temperature but not hot weather – Kodaikanal being an ideal location with suitable climate and soil condition, Saffron flourished here. Due to the unbelievable return on investment from Saffron cultivation, considerable farmers in this region of Kodaikanal may migrate to Saffron cultivation in the near future and many from plains will tend to buy land in Kodaikanal to venture into this new agricultural scope. Since Saffron cultivation is temperature sensitive, neither all the area around Kodaikanal nor other hill stations with different altitude and condition may suit for it. 

This is a groundbreaker in Kodaikanal agriculture which will have direct influence on its real estate. At present the market value of agriculture land in Kavunji, Mannavanur region of Kodaikanal is about Rupees 30 to 40 lacs per acre depending on road access, soil condition, water facility, etc which is expected to hike soon considering arrival of Saffron into Kodaikanal hills and expected demand for agriculture land in this region. This is the right time to invest into this region real estate and Kodaikanal real estate can be explored on www.hillsandwills.com which is the most preferred property selling site for the Kodaikanal property owners to post property Ad to sell property online and the favorite property portal for hill property buyers.

Real estate boom at plains mainly depend on infrastructure development!

Whereas Real estate boom in hilly regions depend on tourism growth and agriculture innovations!!

Agriculture innovations in hilly regions rarely happens in a century like introduction of tea in Ooty long back - At present such agriculture innovation is at the nascent stage in Kodaikanal due to the successful  introduction of Saffron – Don’t miss the upcoming real estate opportunity at Kodaikanal.

Henceforth Kodaikanal will be famous for two purple flowers ‘Kurinji’ and ‘Saffron’.