Saffron
Sow in July, harvest around October
This season's sowing time (July) is over.
No figures for your district: its government crop records list no area or yield for this crop.
No price yet to estimate income
- Needs care: Risky: 2 irrigations short
- Doesn't suit: Too hot in august
- Needs care: Soil 7/10
Why, and how to make it work Hide details
Water
Rain falls about 2 irrigations (5 cm each) short in a normal year, so it's risky without water.
Needs about 230 mm of water here in its growing months. Rain gives about 170 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 / 26 °C (outside its best range)
- Aug 36 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
- Sep 36 °C / 26 °C (outside its best range)
- Oct 34 °C / 25 °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: iron.
- The pH here suits it.
- Many fields here are short of sulphur, which it needs a lot.
- Most fields here are short of nitrogen.
- Most fields here are short of phosphorus.
Likes pH 6.0–7.0.
How the soil score worksMoney
Yield: about 0.4 kg an acre, the typical figure across India (no figures for your state).
On rain alone it gets about 75% of the water it needs, so the money here is worked at 75% of this yield.
No mandi or support price for this crop yet.
How to make it work
-
Short of nitrogen Your soil is likely short of nitrogen.
Add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
-
Short of phosphorus Your soil is likely short of phosphorus.
Add about a quarter more DAP or single super phosphate than the usual dose, at sowing.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
-
Short of organic carbon Your soil is likely short of organic carbon.
Add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
-
Short of sulphur Your soil is likely short of sulphur.
Use single super phosphate instead of DAP, or add about 100 kg of gypsum per acre before sowing.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.
-
Short of zinc Your soil is likely short of zinc.
Mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.
Ask your Krishi Vigyan Kendra what to add for this crop.