Tehran -- Iranˈs saffron output will double in the current Iranian year (started March 21) due to sufficient rainfall in spring, predicted secretary of National Saffron Council.
Farshid Manouchehri also told the Thursday edition of the English-language newspaper Iran Daily that saffron harvest usually starts early autumn and continues for 35 days.
ˈSaffron should be harvested when its flowers bloom, because any delay will reduce its quality,ˈ he said.
He put saffron output at 250 tons in the last Iranian year, indicating a rise of 25 tons compared to last year.
Manouchehri said 94 percent of domestic saffron are produced in the provinces of Khorasan Razavi (70 percent) and South Khorasan (24 percent).
The official said saffron exports stood at 139 tons in 2012, while the figure reached 136 tons in 2013.
ˈThis year, saffron exports will grow in light of the rise in production,ˈ he added.
Manouchehri said close to 10-20 percent of saffron are exported in the form of luggage trade and souvenirs taken by domestic and foreign travelers and pilgrims.
ˈIran boasts 95 percent of global saffron output,ˈ he said.
ˈAlthough the country meets the major demand for this red gold, Western nations know saffron as a Spanish brand.ˈ
The official noted that Spanish companies pack Iranian saffron and sell it as their own brands.
Currently, every kilogram of bulk saffron is traded between 42 million rials ($1400) and 52 million rials ($1,733) in global markets.
ˈIf saffron is supplied in small packages, its value-added will increase,ˈ he said.
The government levied tariffs to prevent the bulk export of saffron in 2008. It levied a 5-percent tariff on the export of saffron packages of weights above 30 grams, while packages ranging from 10-30 grams were exempted from tariffs.
Exporters selling saffron in 10-gram packages receive a government bonus.
On the National Saffron Councilˈs proposal for launching Saffron Investment and Export Promotion Fund, Manouchehri said the government can support exports by contributing to transportation costs, marketing and export insurance through this fund.
UAE, Spain, China and Saudi Arabia are top destinations of Iranian saffron, followed by Italy, Sweden, France, Hong Kong and India.
The area under saffron cultivation has increased to 75,000 hectares, but wastage of saffron flower has also increased during the harvest and processing periods.
Saffron should be harvested within one or two days, but farmers cannot harvest it promptly because it coincides with the harvest of other crops such as beet. Therefore, saffron farms are in need of laborers.
Saffron, botanical name Crocus sativus, is the most expensive spice in the world. Derived from the dried reddish-purple stigmas of the saffron crocus, it takes anything from 70,000 to 250,000 flowers to produce 400 grams of saffron. The flowers have to be individually handpicked in autumn when they are in full bloom.
The flowers begin to grow after the first rains and the blooming period is usually mid-October when the temperature is just right.
© IRNA 2014
