Himachal farmer grows saffron in 300 sq ft unit; sells at Rs5 lakh/kg

Nestled amid the picturesque valleys of Solan, Himachal Pradesh, is a small 300 sq ft room with multiple racks of purple saffron flowers. Gaurav Sabharwal grows saffron, the world’s costliest spice, in this small room and sells it at Rs 5 lakh per kg.

He has named his enterprise Shoolini, set up in August 2023 to position Himachal Pradesh as a leading saffron cultivator. Shoolini was the result of a personal crisis. After the sudden demise of his father, the responsibility of repaying household loans fell on Gaurav's shoulders. 

“At that time, our family shoe business was not doing well. I turned to the internet to explore various areas where I could establish a profit-making business,” Gaurav says.

While brainstorming startup ideas, Gaurav initially decided to work with mushrooms. However, mushrooms were already plentiful in Solan, known as the ‘Mushroom City of India’. During his research, Gaurav also came across aeroponics farming - growing plants in an air or mist environment without using any substrate like soil or water.

Zeroing in on indoor saffron farming

Intrigued by the idea, Gaurav learned more about it online and became a self-taught aeroponics saffron farmer. 

“Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. There is a huge demand-supply gap. I saw a good business potential here,” says Gaurav.

Also Read: How this Goa spice farmer makes Rs 15 lakh/acre from vanilla farming

Saffron has long been a crop associated with Kashmir. Kashmiri saffron is known for its high quality, and it was granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2020 to protect its unique status. However, due to climate change and other factors, saffron production in Kashmir dropped from eight tonnes in 2010-11 to 2.6 tonnes in 2023-24, a 67.5 percent decline, as per the Union Ministry of Agriculture.

The global saffron market, however, is growing. It was valued at 1.5 billion dollars in 2024 and is expected to reach 2.6 billion dollars by 2033, says research firm Custom Market Insights.

Realising this potential, Gaurav sought a loan of Rs 10 lakh under the Prime Minister's Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP). He invested the money in constructing the room, setting up LED lighting to mimic natural lighting, installing humidifiers, and buying saffron bulbs.

Initially, Gaurav bought 500 kilograms of saffron bulbs (Crocus sativus) from Pampore Valley in Kashmir, which is also known as the ‘Saffron Capital of India’. The bulbs cost him Rs 600 per kg. 

“Buying saffron bulbs is a major investment. However, you only need to invest once,” he says, explaining that bulbs can be multiplied every year.

Each healthy mother bulb (corm) typically generates about three new daughter bulbs annually. These daughter bulbs require one year to mature before producing fresh saffron flowers.

Also Read: Pune man grows saffron on terrace

The saffron production cycle 

The bulbs are placed in trays after removing any soil or debris so that the roots remain exposed. This helps the roots to receive adequate airflow and mist. Gaurav has installed humidifiers to maintain humidity. “Misting is crucial for saffron production as this is the only way through which the bulbs receive nutrients,” says Gaurav, who uses regular water for misting.

The room temperature is set to mimic the climate of Kashmir, beginning at 23°C in August and gradually lowered to 7°C by November. 

After about seven weeks, saffron bulbs begin producing flowers. Each flower produces three red stigmas, which are the saffron threads. 

The threads are usually picked by hand in the morning when the flowers have fully opened. The threads are stored in an airtight container to increase their shelf life. “The weight of saffron keeps decreasing with time as it loses moisture; hence it needs to be stored properly,” the agripreneur says.

After the flowering season, the bulbs undergo a period of dormancy between March and July. During this time, the mother bulbs produce daughter bulbs, which can be used for the next cultivation cycle. The bulb usually remains fertile for seven years.

Revenue and profit from saffron farming

Gaurav produced half a kilogram of saffron from his first harvest, which was sold in a month for Rs2.5 lakh. Around 500 to 700 kg of bulbs yield 1 to 1.5 kg of saffron.

Also Read: Two Gujarati friends grow saffron in the air; sell at Rs9 lakh per kg

“The price of wholesale saffron is Rs 3 lakh per kg. We sell it for Rs 500 per gram (Rs 5 lakh per kg),” he points out.

Apart from the saffron threads, even the flower petals find takers in the perfume industry. They are sold for Rs 1,000-1,500 per kg. Kesar Patti sells for Rs 10,000-15,000 per kg as it has medicinal properties.

While retail forms a major chunk of Shoolini’s sales, it also receives good demand from third-party online channels such as Farmer Near Me. The company mostly sells in the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka. It recently obtained a trade license to export saffron to international locations.

“It takes around two years to generate profit as it takes a couple of years for the bulbs to multiply and mature. Although there is a stable income, the profit usually pours in from the third year,” Gaurav says.

He has also trained over 35 people in saffron farming through online and offline models. The training, which includes visiting the saffron farm, observing the plants, and learning about the aeroponics technique, lasts an entire day. Gaurav charges Rs 1,200 for the training and also provides contacts for procuring bulbs to prospective farmers.

Apart from Himachal Pradesh, he has also trained people in Punjab, UP, Delhi, Bengaluru, and New Zealand. Gaurav explained that using an aeroponic system makes saffron cultivation more efficient as one has better control over growing conditions.

“Growing saffron in metro cities, even those with hot and humid climates, is easier and cheaper due to increased accessibility,” he says. Gaurav plans to create a pool of saffron farmers to meet the rising demand. “I keep in touch with the people I train and often reach out to them when the demand arises,” he adds.

(Riya Singh is a Ranchi-based journalist who writes on environment, farming, sustainability, startups, & women empowerment)

Also Read: Karnataka’s millionaire farmer harvests 100 kg rambutan and mangosteen per tree; sells at Rs350 per kg

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