This Article First Appeared In The Japan Times On August 16, 2023.
Heady scents fill the air as skilled pickers in India pluck white jasmine before the still fresh buds are rushed for processing into a valuable ingredient for global perfumes.
Jasmine only issues its powerful scent when it blooms at night, and pickers must select only the ones yet to open.
“We know which one to pick,” said Malarkodi, who gave only one name, as she snapped her fingers carefully to pluck the buds, tucking into her hair a few flowers that had already bloomed.