Saffron in Kashmir

[Thomas C, Burke]

I recall having somewhere read of a tradition in Kashmir that that saffron is
not native to the valley but was introduced from  outside. In Indian Food, a
Historical Companion (Delhi, 1994), K. T. Achaya states that saffron
cultivation in Kashmir seems to have begun in about 550 C.E. I have been
unable to trace sources for these statements.

Could anyone please provide information or bibliographic sources about the
early history of saffron in Kashmir?

Thomas Burke           thomasburke at aol.com