With mustard fields in full bloom these days, thousands of tourists have been visiting these fields along Srinagar-Jammu national highway for leisure and photography.
Besides major tourist spots, these mustard fields on vast tracts of land have become another attraction for tourists. Tourists visiting Pahalgam hill station in south Kashmir or those travelling to the ski-resort of Gulmarg in the north come across huge mustard fields in full bloom.
The highway stretch from Srinagar to Pahalgam has large mustard fields, many tourists are bewitched by the scenic view of blooming mustard flowers.
Abhishekh Chowdhury, a tourist from Gujarat, who works in Europe, said driving on the highway through mustard fields gives him a feeling of being in Switzerland.
While drawing a parallel between the combination of green and yellow hues in the backdrop of snow-capped mountains, he said, “In scenic beauty, Kashmir is more beautiful than Switzerland. But it lacks world-class tourist infrastructure. Hope in coming years Kashmir can come up with better facilities for high-end tourists.”
The mustard crop is sown in October-November. As temperatures rise after winter, the mustard crop blossoms and it is harvested towards the end of May. Mustard growers say following sufficient snowfall and rains this winter, the crop yields are much better than the previous year.