Photos: Egypt's blossoming trade in fragrant jasmine flowers

Photos

Login / Sign Up

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Gold / Forex

Photos Business

Photos: Egypt's blossoming trade in fragrant jasmine flowers

Jasmine trade is estimated to pull in some $6.5 million annually for Egypt

Published: August 25, 2020 08:12 AFP and compiled by Balaram Menon, Senior Web Editor

1 of 10

Copy of 518326-01-02-1598327917730 — At midnight, Eman Mehanna switches on her headlamp and begins her day's work picking jasmine flowers, as their powerful fragrance wafts far across the fields in Egypt's fertile Nile Delta. Image Credit: AFP

2 of 10

Copy of 518324-01-02-1598327894192 — Egypt's Gharbiya region is the heartland of its jasmine harvest. The aromatic oils extracted for perfumes from here make up over half the global supply, according to international trade figures. | Above: A worker holds on her head a wicker basket filled with harvested jasmine flowers in a field at the village of Shubra Beloula in Egypt's northern Nile delta province of Gharbiya. Image Credit: AFP

3 of 10

Copy of 518328-01-02-1598327912348 — "We have been picking jasmine since we were children," Mehanna said, gathering blossoms by hand in the village of Shubra Beloula, around 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of the capital Cairo. | Above: Workers unload baskets filled with harvested jasmine flowers at a warehouse in the village of Shubra Beloula. Image Credit: AFP

4 of 10

Copy of 518317-01-02-1598327909323 — The white petals, plucked from densely-packed rows of chest-high green bushes of "royal jasmine" - Jasminum grandiflorum - burst out of her wicker basket. During the harvest season from June until November, picking begins around midnight and finishes a few hours after dawn each day. Image Credit: AFP

5 of 10

Copy of 518327-01-02-1598327915300 — It is a tough job, but a hard-working picker can harvest as much as five kilogrammes of petals a day. While it is cooler to work after dark, the key reason harvesting is done at night is because it is only then that the flowers fully open. Image Credit: AFP

6 of 10

Copy of 518320-01-02-1598327906373 — "You really need to concentrate on looking for the blossoming flowers," Mehanna said. "We leave the closed ones for the following day." After dawn, she swaps her headlight for a hat to shade her from the burning sun. Image Credit: AFP

7 of 10

Copy of 518325-01-02-1598327920748 — Egypt and India dominate the production of jasmine extract for perfumes, making up around 95 percent of supply, according to the International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades (IFEAT). Image Credit: AFP

8 of 10

Copy of 518321-01-02-1598327902964 — Egyptian farmers have long complained that the low production costs of their big rival India drive their prices down. But the economic impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic has been harder still, with demand dropping sharply, farmers said. Image Credit: AFP

9 of 10

Copy of 518322-01-02-1598327900138 — Jasmine trade is estimated to pull in some $6.5 million annually for Egypt, providing income to around 50,000 people, IFEAT says. Image Credit: AFP

10 of 10

Copy of 518323-01-02-1598327896997 — In Egypt, more than 90 percent of jasmine fields are in Gharbiya governorate, fed by the rich minerals and waters of the Nile, shortly before the river reaches the Mediterranean Sea. | Above: Workers stand by baskets filled with harvested jasmine flowers at a warehouse in the village of Shubra Beloula. Image Credit: AFP

Latest In

Bailey says ‘the job is not done’ on fighting inflation

9 minutes ago
India strike gold in Asian Games archery

13 minutes ago
ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023: Complete schedule

15 minutes ago
Pope Francis warns of 'irreversible' climate change

30 minutes ago
New dates revealed for Dubai Shopping Festival 2023

31 minutes ago

This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to improve your experience and provide more personalized service to you. Both on your website and other media. To find out more about the cookies and data we use, please check out our Privacy Policy.

Photos Business

Trending