Business is not a bed of roses for Bulgaria's rose oil makers these days. Made from Damask roses grown in the aptly named Rose Valley, the oil is a vital ingredient in the perfumes made by the world's ...

Bulgarian rose oil is the most valuable rose oil on the market. Buyers are willing to pay $15,000 for a single kilogram. But to make the highest-quality Bulgarian rose oil, producers must spend the ...

Bulgaria, one of the world's leading exporters of rose oil, is facing a challenging season as a late cold snap follows last year’s early harvest, damaging delicate Damascena rose buds. Producers like ...

In Bulgaria’s Valley of Roses during May local women rise before dawn and head out to the fields. As the sun rises they begin harvesting the small pink flowers of Rosa damascena for the delicate ...

Bulgaria is the world’s largest producer of rose oil, used in medicines and perfumes, but its centuries-old industry is struggling. First COVID-19, then a lack of pickers, and now a threat of new ...

The photo essay depicts rose pickers harvesting blooms, exhausted field workers waiting at the end of the day for a pay packet that might not come, workers in distilleries making essential oil and ...

Bulgaria's rose oil is a vital ingredient in the perfumes made by the world's top luxury brands - Copyright AFP Nikolay DOYCHINOV Bulgaria's rose oil is a vital ...