Poppy Seed

Poppey Seed(papaver somniferum)

General Information

Indigenous to the Mediteranean countries and central Asia, Poppy is now cultivated mainly in Holland, Poland, Iran, Turkey, Argentina and In-dia. Poppy is the dried seed of an annual herb that grows to about 1.2 metres in height. The leaves are large, white, light pink or purple. The fruits are egg shaped, white in colour and filled with seeds.

Opium is obtained from the latex of the mature fruits by making incisions on them. No opium reaches the ovaries and hence the seeds are themselves not narcotic. The seeds extracted from the dried poppy fruits are very small, about 1 mm long

Flavour

Poppy seeds are sweet and mild, with a nutty flavour and aroma.

Uses

Indian poppy seed is used in carrot, pea and tomato dishes. It is also sprinkled over chilled soups, savoury pasty crusts and other bakery products. It is also used in medicines.

Geographical conditions

Poppy is indigenous to the Mediteranean countries.

Production

Cultivation of poppy in India is confined to a few regions of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

Grades

Poppy is graded widely as Grade 1 and

Grade II.

Exports

Export of poppy is negligible.

Harvesting Season: September

Marketing Season : October to November