'₹10 lakh per kg': The saffron startup model you’ve never heard of

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

Indoor Gold

Urban entrepreneurs are turning spare rooms into saffron farms, earning up to ₹20 lakh a year from as little as 100 sq ft with the right conditions.

Climate Control

Replicating Kashmir’s climate indoors with ACs, humidifiers, and LED lights is key—temperatures between 5–20°C help trigger successful flowering.

Startup Costs

Expect to invest ₹5–15 lakh for climate control, insulation, trays, and premium corms—but successful growers recover costs in just 1–2 years.

Premium Returns

With saffron priced at ₹2.5–10 lakh/kg, growers are tapping into premium markets and earning ₹1–3.5 lakh/month—even more by exporting or adding value.

Space Smart

Vertical farming lets you produce high yields in tight spaces. A single 100 sq ft room can produce hundreds of grams of saffron with minimal footprint.

Double Harvest

Controlled environments allow some to grow saffron twice a year—unlike traditional methods limited to one harvest, increasing annual output and profits.

Eco Advantage

Less labour, minimal water, and no pesticides make indoor saffron a cleaner, greener alternative—perfect for sustainability-focused agripreneurs.

Multiple Streams

Beyond saffron threads, income comes from teaching, cold storage rentals, microgreens, and launching saffron-infused products like teas and cosmetics.

Knowledge Counts

Success hinges on mastering the corm cycle and tech. Many join training programs or collaborate with agritech firms to scale with confidence and precision.