Kashmiri farmers pluck saffron from flowers during the harvesting season in Pampore Share

It is harvested by hand from delicate purple crocus flowers Share

Saffron has been an integral part of Kashmir’s culture and economy for more than 3,000 years Share

Iqra Majeed, 20, and her father, Abdul Majeed, 48, show freshly harvested saffron flowers Share

Iqra Majeed separates saffron threads, called stigmas, from freshly harvested flowers Share

Saffron is a valuable cash crop that provides a livelihood for thousands of farming families Share

Kashmir’s saffron industry is facing growing challenges, with farmers reporting declining yields due to climate change, erratic rainfall, reduced snowfall and inadequate irrigation Share

The decline in production is threatening not only the future of the prized spice but also the livelihoods of farming families who depend on it Photograph: Firdous Nazir/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Share

A farmer carries a basket of freshly picked saffron flowers Photograph: Firdous…