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The most expensive spice in the world
is saffron, and honestly, for good reason.

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It takes a thousand flowers to
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
more complicated.

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SPICE OF LIFE

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(Mohammad) We sow these seeds
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,
it starts producing in good numbers.

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

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

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

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This is the season of flowers,
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 
in a two-week window each fall.</i>

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

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

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

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See, this is a flower.

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

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

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<i>and a few of those
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>
<i>across India for its use in basic cuisines,</i>

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<i>Ayurvedic medicine,</i>

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<i>and is a dye,</i>

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

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<i>Saffron is also the color of
the Hindu nationalist movement</i>

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

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<i>who has long sought more control
over Kashmir,</i>

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

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<i>for decades.</i>

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<i>In August 2019, 
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.

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<i>He imposed a lockdown</i>

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

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

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<i>The political lockdown has since
been replaced by a COVID-19 one,</i>

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

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

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<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
during our times of need.

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

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

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<i>a crisis which prompted the government 
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,
it is far from reality.

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<i>After nine years, only about 15%
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 
meant to boost production,</i>

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

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Our saffron qualitatively
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 
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,
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
processing facility.</i>

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The adulteration which
otherwise used to be done

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or repacking the saffron 
from the other countries

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on the name of 
the Kashmiri saffron will stop,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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There is a certain elegance
in our Kashmiri saffron.

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There is saffron from Iran,

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

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But our saffron reflects Kashmiri culture.

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You can tell the two apart
from their taste.

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

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<i>a traditional feast made for weddings,
family gatherings, even funerals.</i>

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<i>Saffron is a key ingredient 
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,
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
to make a paste out of it.

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<i>A proper wazwan typically requires
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
$200 worth of saffron.</i>

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<i>But wazwan have been smaller than usual
for more than a year now,</i>

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<i>as the political and pandemic lockdowns
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
[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
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,
and it will change our culture.

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

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<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 
are now making different choices,</i>

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<i>looking for opportunities 
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 
to keep his culture thriving.</i>

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

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

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This will go on 
because I can't find comfort

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in doing anything else.