Saffron

Water

Rain falls about 1 irrigation (5 cm) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.

Needs about 210 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 160 mm it can use in a normal year, and 110 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 36 °C / 27 °C (outside its best range)
• Aug 34 °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.

• Soil here is often more alkaline than it likes.
• Salt in the soil here can harm it.
• Many fields here are short of sulphur, which it needs a lot.
• Most fields here are short of boron.

Likes pH 6.0–7.0.

Money

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

On rain alone it gets about 78% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 78% of this yield.

No mandi or support price for this crop yet.