Kesar vs climate: Can Kashmir's exotic spice survive a warmer India?

Kesar vs climate: Can Kashmir's exotic spice survive a warmer India?

Kashmir produces most of India's saffron. This week, India Today Science's Climate On My Plate explores how changing weather is putting the crop's delicate growing cycle under increasing pressure.

Kashmir's Saffron Faces Threats from Climate Change

The cultivation of saffron, known locally as kesar, requires specific climatic conditions that are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. The spice, derived from the red stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower, blooms in the autumn, making the weather in the weeks leading up to the flowering period particularly vital. Studies have indicated that both temperature […]