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Most Expensive Spice

Pampore, a small town on the banks of the River Jhelum, near Srinagar, is the main centre for saffron cultivation in India. The best saffron comes from Spain, which is the world’s largest producer.
Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, is known in many parts of India as kesar. It adds a golden colour to food and gives it a unique flavour. Moreover, a little saffron goes a long way — less than half a teaspoon is sufficient to flavour a litre or two of kheer for example.
Workers pluck the flowers of the autumn crocus plant and then remove the three thin orange-red threads or stigma, the female part of the flower. (Sometimes saffron is adulterated with the flower’s yellow stamens which add neither colour nor flavour).

It is estimated that as many as 160,000 of these flowers are needed to produce one kilogram of saffron filaments. Thirty grams of high quality Spanish saffron costs around US$ 36 (around Rs.1600).

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Last updated on :5/31/2005

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User's Comments

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seema tiwari: I am very happy to use your site. This is wonderful. Thank you for giving us knowledge

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suresh kumar: I am student of MBA in agri-business management. I want to inform of kesar plant and releated to total information of plant,

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AMARJIT SINGH: It's a wonderful & informative site. I wish to know if there is any synthetic (duplicate/adultrated) kesar available in the market? If yes, How can we judge the original one?

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LAXMAN SINGH: Thanks for giving the information on kesar plants. Can you please let us know whether we can cultivate these plants in Hyderabad. If so, how to get the seeds of seedlings. Please inform by email. Can it be grown in green house controlled atmosphere.

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javed: I like to visit the place.

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Joseph Whitehead: From what I've been able to find out... No, it is not possible to synthesize it. You MUST grow millions of plant to produce a harvest.

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