9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
The most expensive spice in the world[br]is saffron, and honestly, for good reason.

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It takes a thousand flowers to[br]produce just one ounce,

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but now, if you can believe it harvesting,

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the magical stuff is getting even[br]more complicated.

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SPICE OF LIFE

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(Mohammad) We sow these seeds[br]that we take from the old stock.

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4 or 5-year old seeds.

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We take seeds when they have thickened.

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Then we distribute and sow them in rows.

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Then, by the second year,[br]it starts producing in good numbers.

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<i>Flower by flower,[br]this is the world's most expensive spice.</i>

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<i>And Mohammad Yusuf has picked these[br]saffron buds since he was 10 years old</i>

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<i>on a one-acre farm that's been[br]in his family for generations.</i>

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This is the season of flowers,[br]and we're now collecting them.

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Whatever we harvest in in our fate.

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<i>Saffron is harvested [br]in a two-week window each fall.</i>

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<i>It only grows at a specific altitude,[br]which in India means Kashmir,</i>

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<i>a territory at the foothills [br]of the Himalayas,</i>

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<i>where about 32,000 people [br]cultivate the spice.</i>

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See, this is a flower.

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When we reach home, [br]we will open and separate it like this.

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<i>Those red strings, once dried, [br]sell for up to $4,000 a kilogram,</i>

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<i>and a few of those[br]will pay the bills for the year.</i>

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We work until late night.

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Yes.

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There is no disturbances at night.

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<i>Kashmir saffron is wildly popular</i>[br]<i>across India for its use in basic cuisines,</i>

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<i>Ayurvedic medicine,</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>and is a dye,</i>

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<i>which is used for Hindu religious garments[br]and the Indian flag.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>Saffron is also the color of[br]the Hindu nationalist movement</i>

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<i>that's pledged its undying support[br]to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>who has long sought more control[br]over Kashmir,</i>

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<i>a majority Muslim area that's dealt with [br]the Pakistani-backed separatist movement</i>

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<i>for decades.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>In August 2019, [br]Modi changed the Constitution</i>

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<i>to take away Kashmir's Special Autonomy.</i>

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One nation, one constitution.

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>He imposed a lockdown</i>

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<i>and cut off phone [br]and internet services for months</i>

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<i>to prevent a mass uprising.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>The political lockdown has since[br]been replaced by a COVID-19 one,</i>

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<i>but Kashmiris still haven't gotten [br]their internet freedoms back,</i>

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<i>which has stunted the saffron trade [br]and hit growers hard.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>And on top of all that,</i>

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<i>farmers are facing an additional threat.</i>

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<i>Climate change.</i>

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Since global warming,

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we've been facing a great loss.

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Before, we had rain[br]during our times of need.

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But since that rain disappeared,[br]we've been badly affected.

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<i>Close to a third of Kashmir saffron fields [br]have disappeared since 1997,</i>

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<i>a crisis which prompted the government [br]to invest 54 million dollars in 2010</i>

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<i>into reviving the industry.</i>

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They dug wells, placed pipes, et cetera,

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by they failed to deliver the water.

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Whatever they show,[br]it is far from reality.

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<i>After nine years, only about 15%[br]of the sprinkler systems</i>

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<i>meant to help farmers have been built.</i>

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<i>Though the government has been slow</i>

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<i>to set up the infrastructure [br]meant to boost production,</i>

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<i>it has come up with a plan[br]to sell future harvests at a better price.</i>

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Our saffron qualitatively[br]is the best in the world.

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In terms of aroma, taste, and flavor.

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We decided that we'd campaign [br]before the authorities

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that we must get to the GI tag.

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<i>GI stands for "Geographical Indication,"</i>

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<i>a status the World Trade Organization,[br]gave to Kashmiri saffron in July 2020</i>

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<i>to certify its superior traits.</i>

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<i>Farmers can now get their harvest GI tag</i>

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<i>at a brand-new government[br]processing facility.</i>

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The adulteration which[br]otherwise used to be done

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or repacking the saffron [br]from the other countries

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on the name of [br]the Kashmiri saffron will stop,

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and it will generate huge revenues[br]and a premium price for the farmers.

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<i>Compared to Iranian saffron, [br]which makes up 90% of the world supply,</i>

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<i>the Kashmiri variant [br]has almost 30% more crosin,</i>

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<i>a compound that gives the spice [br]its rich redness,</i>

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<i>pain relieving properties,[br]and a taste so unique,</i>

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<i>that Kashmiri chefs won't stand [br]for using anything else.</i>

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There is a certain elegance[br]in our Kashmiri saffron.

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There is saffron from Iran,

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but it only gives [food] color,[br]just like turmeric.

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But our saffron reflects Kashmiri culture.

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You can tell the two apart[br]from their taste.

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<i>Bilal Ahmed oversees [br]the preparation of wazwan,</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>a traditional feast made for weddings,[br]family gatherings, even funerals.</i>

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<i>Saffron is a key ingredient [br]in several main dishes of the meal</i>

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<i>that can stretch for dozens of courses.</i>

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We bring saffron,[br]then dry it on a copper plate.

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Then we crush it with a mortar and pestle.

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Next, we add some water[br]to make a paste out of it.

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<i>A proper wazwan typically requires[br]two to three dozen chefs,</i>

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<i>one ton of meat,</i>

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<i>and about 50 grams or[br]$200 worth of saffron.</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>But wazwan have been smaller than usual[br]for more than a year now,</i>

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<i>as the political and pandemic lockdowns[br]have limited the size of gatherings.</i>

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For example, we were supposed to cook

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12 to 13 quintals of meat[br][2,600 lbs.-2,900 lbs.]

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for this function,

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but now it is only two and a half[br]to three quintals [550 lbs.- 660 lbs.].

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It's made a lot of difference.

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Our business is being affected,[br]and it will change our culture.

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<i>Life in Kashmir isn't just changing[br]because of the pandemic,</i>

9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000
<i>a political crisis,</i>

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<i>or global warming.</i>

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<i>The kids who grew up here [br]are now making different choices,</i>

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<i>looking for opportunities [br]outside the saffron fields</i>

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<i>and the kitchens of their homeland.</i>

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<i>For chef Ahmed,</i>

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<i>that means working harder [br]to keep his culture thriving.</i>

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Our children aren't keen to do this work[br]because it's very laborious.

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They say, "We will do some other business,[br]but not all this."

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This will go on [br]because I can't find comfort

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in doing anything else.