Valley of saffron flowers

Published on:

05 Dec 2012, 12:03 pm

<p>The world famous Kashmiri saffron has been grown in the fields of Pampore area in South Kashmir for the past 2,500 years. But its acreage has been falling of late because of declining yields—a consequence of climate change <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

The world famous Kashmiri saffron has been grown in the fields of Pampore area in South Kashmir for the past 2,500 years. But its acreage has been falling of late because of declining yields—a consequence of climate change

Photographs by: Imran Nissar

<p>Sacks of the flowers are taken home for further processing <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

Sacks of the flowers are taken home for further processing

Photographs by: Imran Nissar

<p>Farmers say the flowers have to be picked before sunrise because they have such a short life span <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

Farmers say the flowers have to be picked before sunrise because they have such a short life span

Photographs by: Imran Nissar

<p>During late autumn, farmers of Pampore, wearing homespun clothes, can be seen picking saffron (Crocus sativus) flowers. At a furious pace and heaping them in wicker baskets. The harvesting season is marked by chatter, ring of laughter and men smoking hubble bubbles beneath trees. But farmers these days are a worried lot. Crop yields have declined by 50 to 60 per cent <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

During late autumn, farmers of Pampore, wearing homespun clothes, can be seen picking saffron (Crocus sativus) flowers. At a furious pace and heaping them in wicker baskets. The harvesting season is marked by chatter, ring of laughter and men smoking hubble bubbles beneath trees. But farmers these days are a worried lot. Crop yields have declined by 50 to 60 per cent

Photographs by: Imran Nissar

<p>The petals are stripped off to extract the slender threads <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

The petals are stripped off to extract the slender threads

Photographs by: Imran Nissar

<p>The flowers are picked every four days <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

The flowers are picked every four days

Photographs by: Imran Nissar

<p>Approximately 5,000 flowers are needed to yield enough threads for just an ounce of saffron <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

Approximately 5,000 flowers are needed to yield enough threads for just an ounce of saffron

Photographs by: Imran Nissar

<p>The red stigmas here represent the purest Kashmiri saffron. It is exported to a number of countries. Saffron is used in a number of dishes, especially in sweets to give them a rich colour, delicate flavour and aroma <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

The red stigmas here represent the purest Kashmiri saffron. It is exported to a number of countries. Saffron is used in a number of dishes, especially in sweets to give them a rich colour, delicate flavour and aroma

Photographs by: Imran Nissar

<p>Saffron harvesting is a labour intensive job as flowers have to be handpicked and the slender threads extracted carefully <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

Saffron harvesting is a labour intensive job as flowers have to be handpicked and the slender threads extracted carefully

Photographs by: Imran Nissar

<p>The ideal environment for yielding saffron is cool dry climate and soil rich in organic content. Saffron is not grown in any other fertile, alluvial plateau in Kashmir. Residents claim the soil of Pampore has a certain magical quality that helps the flowers bloom and acquire stigmas with a rich aroma <br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>Photographs by:</strong> Imran Nissar</p><br />

The ideal environment for yielding saffron is cool dry climate and soil rich in organic content. Saffron is not grown in any other fertile, alluvial plateau in Kashmir. Residents claim the soil of Pampore has a certain magical quality that helps the flowers bloom and acquire stigmas with a rich aroma

Photographs by: Imran Nissar