Trade portal for Kashmir Saffron launched; title misses GI Kashmir

ZT NEWS NETWORK

Srinagar: The Department of Agriculture, under the aegis of India International Kashmir Saffron Trading Centre (IIKSTC), has initiated e-auction of “Kashmir Saffron” through pan-India e-auction portal created in collaboration with NSE-IT, with an aim to assure buyers to have access to quality “Kashmir Saffron”, a statement from the Agriculture Department, Kashmir, said today.

In this backdrop, the Department said in a statement, saffron growers of Kashmir valley and buyers across India are requested to register themselves as SELLERS and BUYERS for e-trading on the e-auction portal www.saffroneauctionindia.com, so that E-Trading between registered Growers and registered Buyers is ensured.

Interestingly, observers have pointed out that despite Kashmir saffron name being a GI indicator itself, the website URL of the e-auction site does not make any mention of Kashmir.

“This could create a lot of confusion. Why did we get the GI for Kashmir Saffron at the first place if the e-trading website does not promote Kashmir saffron by its name?”, said Tufail Ahmed Sheikh, a GI specialist of commodities.