Iran exported 135 tons of saffron worth more than $178 million during the first seven months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Oct. 22) to register a 48% and 27% growth in weight and value respectively compared with the corresponding period of last year.
Javad Mirarab, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture, said saffron is cultivated across 108,000 hectares in Iran, adding that some 400 tons of the crop will be harvested by the yearend.
"Last year’s production amounted to 397 tons," he was quoted as saying by IRNA.
About 236 tons of saffron worth more than $325 million were exported from Iran during the last fiscal year (March 2017-18) to register a 55% and 56% growth in weight and value respectively compared with the year before.
The volume marked a 10-year record in exports for two consecutive years.
Iran is the world’s biggest saffron producer of saffron and accounts for more than 90% of global production.
Close to 95% of Iranian saffron are grown in the two provinces of South Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi.
Per capita consumption of saffron in the Middle Eastern country stands at 1 gram. Annually, 80 tons of saffron are consumed domestically.
