Saffron Cultivation in North-East India

1. The foundation stone was laid for the campus of the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) in Shillong, Meghalaya.
2. The campus will help promote saffron cultivation in the North Eastern region of India.
3. NECTAR is an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology.
    

About Saffron (Crocus sativus)
 

1. Saffron is a spice derived from the stigmas of purple flowers of the plant Crocus sativus.
2. Known as ‘Red Gold’ due to its orange-red coloured stigmas, rich in crocetin content.
    

Cultivation Regions:
 

1. Primarily cultivated in: Jammu and Kashmir (GI-tagged saffron), Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka
2. Under Mission Saffron Initiative, cultivation has now expanded to:

Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya