Kashmir Saffron Monthly Market Update — May 2026
Arrivals, colour values and where the price band settled through May.
By the Pravaha sourcing desk · May 2026 · 1 min read
Where the month landed
May is a quiet month for arrivals by definition — the harvest is seven months behind us and the next one is five months ahead. What moves in May is stored stock, and what matters is how well that stock has been held.
Colour values on stored lots
We re-tested several lots held since the November harvest. Crocin values on well-stored Category I material held broadly steady; the lots that slipped were, without exception, those stored in clear glass rather than tin or foil. That is the whole argument for opaque packaging in one sentence.
What buyers asked for
Enquiry mix shifted towards Iranian Super Negin this month, which is the usual pattern when buyers are topping up rather than placing seasonal orders — consistency matters more than provenance when you are filling a gap.
Looking ahead
Expect the market to tighten through late summer as stored stock thins. Buyers with committed volumes for the last quarter should be having that conversation now rather than in September.
Market observations are our own view of conditions we trade in, not investment or pricing advice. For a firm offer on a specific grade and volume, contact the export desk.
Other market updates.
Post-harvest stock positions and what they meant for forward contracts.
Read the note
Export demand by lane and the currency effect on landed cost.
Read the noteSample first. Decide after.
Tell us the grade and volume you are working to and we will send an indicative offer, the specification sheet, and a sample dispatch window — normally within one working day.