Beware! Fake Saffron On Sale In Market

By: Oct 14th, 2017 12:12 am

According to scientists, there is about 100 tonne saffron demand annually in the country while the production is just four tonne

Jaideep Rehan

Beware, check twice before buying saffron, a spice known for its fragrance and medicinal properties. According to experts, most of the brands of saffron available in market are either low on quality or are fake. This fact was revealed by scientists during a national seminar on medicinal plants at Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) located in Palampur. According to scientists, the annual demand of saffron in the country is about 100 tonne, whereas the production in the country is just four tonne annually.  Because of high demand in the market, few other things are given the shape and colour of saffron, which is harmful for health too.

Notably, saffron is amongst the world’s costliest spices. It is cultivated in some areas of Kishtwar and Pampore in Jammu and Kashmir state in India. CSIR-IHBT in Palampur is working on the project related to exploring the possibilities of saffron farming in different parts of India. Because of its unique fragrance and medicinal properties, saffron sells for about three lakh rupees per kilogram in the market. Besides used in food items, saffron has applications in the cure of many diseases. According to experts, there are more than 100 brands of saffron selling in the market. Surprisingly less than five percent of these brands were found genuine.

Rs. 1.5 Crore Project Approved

National Medicinal Plant Board has approved Rs. 1.5 crore project to encourage medicinal plants farming in the state. The state medicinal plant board will make farmers aware and encourage them to opt for medicinal plants farming. At present, medicinal plants farming is practised in nine districts of Himachal Pradesh with 37 varieties of medicinal plants declared as agricultural produce. The board has raised a demand to include 25 other varieties of medicinal plants in this list.

Business Brief

Renault Opens Bookings For SUV ‘Captur’

Chandigarh: Renault, one of the fastest growing automobile brands in India, unveiled its globally successful premium SUV with crossover DNA – ‘Renault Captur’. Built on the globally successful B0 platform, Renault Captur has been designed and developed leveraging the prowess of Renault India and global teams. Renault has commenced the production of Captur and is preparing for a festive season launch, with bookings open on the Renault Captur App and Renault India website at an initial booking amount of Rs. 25,000. Notably, over the last five years, Renault has taken significant steps to grow its presence in India, enabled by a progressive strategy across its corporate, product and network fronts.

Speaking at the unveiling, Sumit Sawhney, Country CEO and Managing Director, Renault India Operations said, “Our growth strategy hinges strongly on launching products that cater to the volume and growing segments of the Indian automotive industry, representing evolving customer preferences. Over the last few years, SUV sales are growing exponentially, making it the fastest growing segment in India. Renault Captur is a globally successful premium SUV and is widely acclaimed for its stunning expressive design, premium & class-leading features and the high levels of personalization that can be achieved with this car. Renault Captur will further strengthen our position in the fast-growing SUV segment and will set new benchmarks with its global styling and unmatched road presence.”


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