Rose Valley, Bulgaria
The rose picking season started in the Bulgaria’s Rose Valley on May 15 and will end on June 15. Every morning thousands of pickers work the fields when dawn breaks. The Rose flowers are picked up very early in the morning while the morning dew is still on them, bagged and transported to the distillery as quickly as possible. The quantity of flowers picked up for the day is closely matched to the amount that can be processed in one day since if the flowers are not kept fresh they begin to deteriorate and the precious volatile oil evaporates and looses quality.
It takes some 4,000 kilograms (8,800 pounds) of rose petals to produce one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of 100% pure, steam distilled Bulgarian Rose Oil or rose attar. Bulgarian rose oil, which is used in world famous perfumes, is considered to be the best in the world.
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