How HDFC Bank’s Parivartan is helping Kashmir’s saffron farmers adapt to climate change

For 48-year-old Javed Ahmad, saffron is more than a crop. It is a legacy passed down through generations, one that he and his family have worked hard to preserve in the fields of Pampore, Kashmir’s famed saffron-growing belt.

During the brief harvesting season in early November, farmers move through the fields, carefully picking the delicate blooms by hand and collecting them in wicker baskets. Each flower yields just a few red stigmas, which are separated and dried to produce the prized Kashmiri saffron.

But sustaining this legacy has become increasingly difficult due to climate change. Erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells have affected soil moisture, putting saffron production under stress. At the same time, farmers have struggled to secure fair prices for their produce, often depending on middlemen to take their saffron to market.

For Ahmad, however, the past two years have brought a significant change in the way he cultivates, packages and sells his crop. Through HDFC Bank's Parivartan initiative, Ahmad has received support in two critical areas: direct market access and a solar pump to maintain soil moisture.

“Earlier we used to sell the crop to brokers or middlemen traders as we had no linkages with buyers. HDFC Bank’s Parivartan initiative helped arrange buyer-seller meetings,” says Ahmad.

For generations, saffron farmers in Pampore largely sold their produce in loose quantities to traders, leaving them with limited control over pricing and how their product reaches consumers.

Ahamd was no exception.

“HDFC Bank Parivartan helped us with packaging and branding free of cost. When we started using the packaging, our buyers liked it,” says Javed, referring to the Samarkash brand created under the CSR initiative for small farmers.

The shift from selling loose saffron to a branded, packaged product has helped farmers with better returns.

“Earlier, we used to sell one gram of saffron for Rs 200 to traders. Now, we are able to sell it directly to buyers for Rs 300 to Rs 350,” he says.

Traditionally, farmers in Pampore relied on rainfall. But with precipitation becoming increasingly unpredictable, prolonged dry spells have affected crop growth and production.

Due to climate change, there had been a decline in production of saffron because of lack of moisture in soil, according to Ahmad.

Rain doesn’t happen on time and that affects soil moisture required to farm saffron, says Ahmad. “Setting up a borewell was not possible as it is far away from power lines. Then HDFC helped us install a solar pump,” says Ahmad.

In Pampore, around 3,200 hectares of area is under saffron cultivation, supporting nearly 12,000 families.

The CSR interventions in Pampore form part of a broader effort to address challenges across Kashmir's agricultural economy, from production and irrigation to processing, packaging and market access.

In Pulwama and Uri, the Parivartan programme has supported farmers with polyhouses, drip irrigation, mulching and solar dryers, helping them diversify beyond traditional crops and grow vegetables through the winter months.

Farmers who earlier depended on maize cultivation have begun exploring vegetable production, while solar dryers have reduced the risk of produce being spoiled by unpredictable weather.

Farooq Ahmed Ganai, a 55-year-old farmer in South Kashmir’s Pulwama, says a solar pump offered to him under the CSR initiative has improved his income and the quality of vegetables. “With mulching and drip irrigation, the quality has improved and we have been able to save ground water,” says Ganai.

Ganai also received a solar dryer under the Parivartan initiative. “During winter months, we use dry vegetables. We used to dry red chilis in the sun. But sometimes it would get spoiled because of rain. Now we sell chilis for Rs 450 per kg. Without solar dryer, we would get Rs 250,” he says.

In Ganderbal, HDFC Bank’s Parivartan initiative has focused on improving apple grading, sorting, packaging and marketing. The apple industry is Kashmir’s largest horticultural employer, with nearly half the region’s population said to be directly or indirectly dependent on it.

“Earlier, we sold our produce raw, soon after the harvest, and took whatever price we were offered. With the processing unit, the drying facilities and the Samarkash brand, our members now have a way to process, pack and sell on their own terms,” says Bashir Ahmad Ganie, FPC President, Kirmaniya Fruit Fed FPC.

Some apple farmers are using solar dryers to turn low-grade apples into apple chips, allowing them to earn from produce that would otherwise fetch lower prices.

The Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) supported under the Parivartan initiative in Kashmir collectively generate revenues of up to Rs 5.2 crore, with one FPO accounting for Rs 1.4 crore, the bank said.

“Kashmir is known for its distinctive agricultural produce, and there is an opportunity to strengthen the value farmers derive from it. Through Parivartan, we are working with our partners to improve farming practices, support food processing infrastructure and strengthen market linkages,” says Nusrat Pathan, Head of CSR, HDFC Bank.

“Initiatives such as SAMARKASH help farmer collectives take their produce closer to the market through branding and value addition,” Pathan adds.

HDFC Bank said its Parivartan programme has impacted over 10.77 crore people across all 28 states and eight Union Territories. The bank spent Rs 1,316.18 crore on CSR initiatives in FY26, taking its cumulative investment under the programme to around Rs 7,492 crore. Its initiatives span six areas, including rural development, education, healthcare, skill development, financial inclusion and natural resource management.