Saffron

Water

Too dry to grow on rain alone. It would need irrigation.

Needs about 210 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 70 mm it can use in a normal year, and 40 mm in a dry year.

Temperature

Grows best at 7–23 °C on average, and survives 4–28 °C.

Here, in its growing months (day / night):

• Jul 37 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
• Aug 35 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
• Sep 34 °C / 24 °C (outside its best range)
• Oct 33 °C / 18 °C (outside its best range)

Days in July get hotter than it likes. Time sowing so it flowers before then.

Soil

Soil for Saffron: 7 out of 10 (okay).

Not in the score: nitrogen and boron.

• Soil here is often more alkaline than it likes.
• Many fields here are short of potassium, which it needs a lot.
• Many fields here are short of sulphur, which it needs a lot.
• Most fields here are short of manganese.

Likes pH 6.0–7.0.

Money

Yield: about 0.4 kg an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).

Rain gives it too little of the water it needs, so there's no income figure on rain alone: grow it only with irrigation.

No mandi or support price for this crop yet.