Shimla's Apple Belt Goes Saffron: Yuvraj Bhinta's  breakthrough to Break Kashmir’s Monopoly... 

KOTI/BAGHI (SHIMLA): In an incredible first for Himachal Pradesh, Yuvraj Bhinta, a young entrepreneur from Koti Baghi   has set into motion a gradient of a saffron revolution in Shimla’s famed apple belt.

Stepping away from a promising corporate career after earning his MBA, Yuvraj returned to his roots in Koti village, where he’s now growing saffron—Kesar—in controlled atmospheric (CA) conditions.

Shimla is known for apples, but Yuvraj saw potential for more. Inspired by Kashmir’s centuries-old saffron legacy, he decided to shake things up.

“In our area, we’re already growing apples and cherries, but with climate change and fluctuating prices, farmers need a fallback crop,” Yuvraj told Himbumail. He believes saffron could be the answer.

Yuvraj’s setup is high-tech, using aerophonics to replicate the conditions saffron needs: a blend of temperature, humidity, CO2, and light control.

“The process is delicate,” he says, “but after flowering, bulbs are transferred to soil to multiply in a pest-safe, semi-controlled environment. Even a big basement works.”

The saffron season, now in full swing, will continue until November.

Yuvraj plans to explore export markets in Tokyo while selling locally to capitalize on saffron’s hefty price tag of ₹450-500 per gram.

And with 70% of saffron on the market reportedly fake, consumers are willing to pay extra for authenticity—a fact Yuvraj is ready to bank on.

The central government has launched saffron mission and Himachal’s government is also willy nilly encouraging saffron farming, but Yuvraj’s innovation in CA-grown saffron could be a game-changer.

He’s now keen to train local youth, offering them a new high-value crop and a shot at Kashmir’s market stronghold.

"Once Himachal farmers start lab-growing saffron, we can compete with Kashmir’s dominance," he says confidently.

And for those skeptical about the “real deal,” Yuvraj has a word of advice: real saffron releases a golden-yellow hue slowly, unlike the quick-dye fakes often peddled in markets.

Known for his keen business acumen and a vision to make Himachal a diverse agri-hub, Yuvraj gave up a promising corporate career after completing his B.Com (Honors) and MBA in Marketing from Amity University, Delhi, to take on the ambitious task of cultivating saffron in Himachal’s apple heartland.

Kashmir has long been India’s saffron stronghold, with Pampore’s legendary saffron fields supplying this prized spice to the nation.

Yet, with challenges posed by climate change and evolving agricultural trends, there’s an increasing need to look beyond traditional saffron-growing regions.

Yuvraj, through extensive training and deep determination, has harnessed advanced techniques to grow saffron in CA environments, something that could prove transformative for Shimla’s apple belt, and potentially, for the entire state.

By venturing into saffron, Yuvraj Bhinta has opened doors to a high-value crop that can give local apple growers new ways to diversify and sustain their income.

Yuvraj’s innovation stands as a game-changer for Himachal’s agriculture, introducing an alternative to Kashmir’s saffron monopoly and positioning Himachal’s apple belt as the next potential saffron destination.

Kashmiri saffron, often referred to as "red gold," commands a high price due to several factors.

Primarily, the region's unique climate and soil contribute to the saffron's high-quality traits, such as its potent aroma and deep color, due to an elevated crocin content of around 8%.

These characteristics make Kashmiri saffron highly sought after globally, especially for use in luxury culinary and medicinal applications.

The high costs are also a result of labor-intensive cultivation and processing. Each saffron strand must be hand-harvested from flowers, which bloom briefly each autumn, adding to its rarity.

Farmers typically need to harvest up to 160,000 flowers to produce just one kilogram of saffron.

Talking to Himbumail, Yuvraj Bhinta said he is using aerophonics to create an artificial and a highly controllable environment to support the blooming of saffron flowers.

The key factors to control are Temperature, humidity, CO2 and light. There is a set of information which has to be followed to a degree to get as much flowering as possible.

After their blooming phase in complete, I will have to place them in soil for their multiplication

I was looking for a viable substitute for apple farming in where our dependency on weather is reduced, almost guaranteeing success.

In our area, apple and cherries are already being produced, I wanted another harvest which could be used as a fail safe considering the weather changes and declining market prices.

I will put the bulbs in soil , in a semi controllable environment for better multiplication and to safeguard the saffron bulbs from pests and fungus.

The semi controlled environment can be any chance covered space like a big basement.

The season will continue till 10th November,  it is in full swing right now. The season will continue till 10th November sir, it is in full swing right now

It can be exported to tokyo for the best grade of saffron, or it can be sold locally too. There are a lot of wholesale buyers as well sir

Once dried, it can be safely stored for 36-48 months, so I can figure out how to get the best price for it

I will have to find a retailer in Delhi or Mumbai. First I will try by selling some of it locally. I plan on advertising it to pregnant women and ageing population. Getting suitable packaging for it.

It can be easily sold for over 450-500 rupees per gram in retail.

As 70% of the saffron in today's markets is fake, people are ready to pay good for the original product

I plan on training our youth towards this harvest as that way we can compete with kashmir in saffron production just like they compete with us in Apple production

There has been efforts by the hp government to promote saffron production but once people start producing saffron in labs in himachal, the success rate can be increased and new motivation and ideas can be given to himachal saffron farmer.

The sources of bulbs are the vendors in Kashmir or the people who are using aerophonics outside of Kashmir 

Additionally, Kashmiri saffron's Geographical Indication (GI) certification plays a role in preserving its authenticity and quality, setting it apart from less expensive alternatives like Iranian saffron.

Challenges like erratic weather patterns, limited access to modern irrigation, and shrinking cultivation areas further strain production.

While the Indian government has invested in projects like the National Saffron Mission to support irrigation and yield improvements, farmers feel these measures are yet to reach their full potential in practice.

To ensure profitability and maintain cultural heritage, some are exploring niche markets and value-added products to differentiate Kashmir’s saffron from global competitors.

 With this saffron push, Yuvraj Bhinta is opening up fresh possibilities for Himachal’s agriculture sector—giving apple growers a reason to think beyond the orchard and stake their claim in India’s saffron story.