The 2026 Kashmir Saffron Harvest: Fresh Lot, First Pick

From the last week of October the Karewa plateau around Pampore turns purple. For about three weeks, whole families are in the fields at dawn. We are there too, buying from the growers whose names go on our vials. Stigmas are separated and dried the same afternoon. Each lot goes to an accredited lab in November. The first tested lot ships in late November or early December.

We do not take money for saffron that has not been tested. Join the list below instead. You get the new lot’s ISO 3632 report the day we have it, and a first-pick window before it goes on sale.

What happens between field and vial

1. Late October to mid-November: picking. Flowers are picked at first light, before the sun opens them, and carried home in baskets. How saffron is harvested in Pampore.
2. Same day: separation and drying. The three red stigmas are pinched from each flower and the pale style trimmed away. This is what makes Mongra. Threads dry on cloth in warm shade.
3. November: testing. A sample from each lot goes to the lab for ISO 3632 colouring strength, bitterness, aroma, moisture and a dye screen. What the numbers mean.
4. Late November: packing and dispatch. Vials and tins are filled, labelled with the lot code, harvest month, grower and crocin number, and the report goes live on the verify page.

Why lots are small

Kashmir grows only a few tonnes of saffron a year, and 2024 and 2025 were poor harvests. We buy a few kilograms per season from growers we know. We keep lots small enough that each one has its own report. A lot may sell out. In return, the number on your vial is the number for your saffron, not a brand average.

Not waiting?

The current lot is on the saffron page with its report. Stored closed and in the dark it keeps its strength for two years, so there is no reason to hold off cooking until December.