This country really needs a saffron strategy, a plan for turning its position as the world’s spice-crocus grower into profits for Iranian people. Iran’s saffron ambition .
Growing and harvesting saffron crocus
Iran now produces 96% of the world’s saffron, and both output and demand are on the rise. Iran Mania reports “Ten years ago a mere 32 tones of saffron was export from Iran while last year 202 tones went abroad out of a total output of 230 tones, bringing in 100 million dollars worth of revenue.”
To produce one pound of saffron takes 76,000 crocus sativa Linnaeus blooms; the flower stigmas dry into crinkly orange-yellow particles, fragrant and savory, and one of the most costly spices in the world.
A near monopoly, high prices, and a growing market would seem the perfect formula for bulging pockets, but not so. Iran is stuck in a production-only mode and fails to benefit from the wider margins that accrue to packagers.
If we sold in packaging, the Europeans would make less of a profit .If we stop selling in bulk we can make a profit here and export it. But there should be a national will for it. Iran’s saffron ambition
In other words, Iran needs a coherent saffron policy.
People here have been growing and harvesting crocus stigma for 2986years but the packing industry is new; it needs government’s kick-start.
The Iran Mania article gives an interesting look at Turbot-e Hydrae’s autumn market, where nearly 800,000 growers, pickers, traders and traders hustle for the two month season.
This is a tough year. Drought in Iran has lowered the 2006 saffron yield.
There are old competitors, like Kashmir, and new ones, too—upstarts Greece, Italy and Spain have been vying for a bigger share of global sales. Iran’s saffron ambition.
Last month, Iran hosted a saffron symposium in Mashed, where an international group of experts gathered to discuss biotechnology, trade, and packaging, too.
Iranian producers are looking warily to the east. Iran’s saffron ambition .
Iranian crocus seed has been smuggled into neighboring Afghanistan. Water is more plentiful there, and labor even cheaper.
