The most expensive spice in the world is saffron, and honestly, for good reason.
It takes a thousand flowers to produce just one ounce,
but now, if you can believe it harvesting,
the magical stuff is getting even more complicated.
SPICE OF LIFE
(Mohammad) We sow these seeds that we take from the old stock.
4 or 5-year old seeds.
We take seeds when they have thickened.
Then we distribute and sow them in rows.
Then, by the second year, it starts producing in good numbers.
Flower by flower, this is the world's most expensive spice.
And Mohammad Yusuf has picked these saffron buds since he was 10 years old
on a one-acre farm that's been in his family for generations.
This is the season of flowers, and we're now collecting them.
Whatever we harvest in in our fate.
Saffron is harvested in a two-week window each fall.
It only grows at a specific altitude, which in India means Kashmir,
a territory at the foothills of the Himalayas,
where about 32,000 people cultivate the spice.
See, this is a flower.
When we reach home, we will open and separate it like this.
Those red strings, once dried, sell for up to $4,000 a kilogram,
and a few of those will pay the bills for the year.
We work until late night.
Yes.
There is no disturbances at night.
Kashmir saffron is wildly popular across India for its use in basic cuisines,
*Ayurvedic medicine,
and is a dye,
which is used for Hindu religious garments and the Indian flag.
Saffron is also the color of the Hindu nationalist movement
that's pledged its undying support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
who has long sought more control over Kashmir,
a majority Muslim area that's dealt with the Pakistani-backed separatist movement
for decades.
In August 2019, Modi changed the Constitution
to take away Kashmir's Special Autonomy.
One nation, one constitution.
He imposed a lockdown
and cut off phone and internet services for months
to prevent a mass uprising.
The political lockdown has since been replaced by a COVID-19 one,
but Kashmiris still haven't gotten their internet freedoms back,
which has stunted the saffron trade and hit growers hard.
And on top of all that,
farmers are facing an additional threat.
Climate change.
Since global warming,
we've been facing a great loss.
Before, we had rain during our times of need.
But since that rain disappeared, we've been badly affected.
Close to a third of Kashmir saffron fields have disappeared since 1997,
a crisis which prompted the government to invest 54 million dollars in 2010
into reviving the industry.
They dug wells, placed pipes, et cetera,
by they failed to deliver the water.
Whatever they show, it is far from reality.
After nine years, only about 15% of the sprinkler systems
meant to help farmers have been built.
Though the government has been slow
to set up the infrastructure meant to boost production,
it has come up with a plan to sell future harvests at a better price.
Our saffron qualitatively is the best in the world.
In terms of aroma, taste, and flavor.
We decided that we'd campaign before the authorities
that we must get to the GI tag.
GI stands for "Geographical Indication,"
a status the World Trade Organization, gave to Kashmiri saffron in July 2020
to certify its superior traits.
Farmers can now get their harvest GI tag
at a brand-new government processing facility.
The adulteration which otherwise used to be done
or repacking the saffron from the other countries
on the name of the Kashmiri saffron will stop,
and it will generate huge revenues and a premium price for the farmers.
Compared to Iranian saffron, which makes up 90% of the world supply,
The kashmiri variant has almost 30%, more croson,
a compound that gives the spice, its Rich, redness pain, relieving properties,
and a taste. So, unique that kashmiri chefs won't stand for using anything else.
Mitchell, longest one in left off, with the icy point, is collectors, fungus.
Yeah. We all will see, you don't talk to no one.
To which the one culture,
you much knowledge with Nana in San Jose with Althea costume.
Bilal Ahmed oversees the preparation of wasman,
traditional feast made for weddings family, gatherings, even funeral.
Saffron is a key ingredient in several main dishes of the meal
that can stretch for dozens of courses such as you. Let's go on lockdown while Bona
but I am good idea.
Yeah, but just behind in diamond watches. What PH to use woman, our pH photoshopped.
A proper wazwan typically requires two to three dozen shafts.
One ton of meat in about 50 grams or $200 worth of saffron.
But wise ones have been smaller than usual for more than a year. Now,
as the political and pandemic, lockdowns have limited the size of gatherings
as items argue, most modest language. My mother bought pointer to a pointer.
You wanted more just like went up.
Life in Kashmir isn't just changing because of the pandemic,
a political crisis or global warming,
the kids who grew up here are now making different choices
looking for opportunities outside the saffron fields and the kitchens of
their Homeland for Chef Ahmed,
that means working harder
to keep his culture thriving guys alone while you go little buddy.