Iran’s yearly saffron production has reached 180 tons, 50% less than the country’s annual average, according to an official with Khorasan Razavi Province’s Agricultural Organization
“During the first month of spring, we had 60% less precipitation, which damaged most of our saffron farms. Later precipitations did not benefit the growth of saffron flowers. Under normal conditions, yields had to reach somewhere around 320 tons.” Gholamhossein Sareban was quoted as saying by ILNA.
The official noted that Torbat-e Heydariyeh, a county of Khorasan Razavi Province, is Iran’s biggest producer of saffron.
“Out of 121,000 hectares of saffron farms across the country, 91,000 [around 76%] are located in the northeastern Khorasan Razavi Province.”
Drought has led to a significant decline in Iran’s saffron production and export — traditionally a major non-oil export from the country.
Ali Hosseini, a member of Iran’s National Saffron Council’s Board of Directors, earlier said Iran risks losing its major export destinations, in which it has had a foothold for decades now.
“Iran managed to overtake Spain as the world’s biggest saffron producer 30 years ago by producing quality produce at prices lower than in global markets,” he was quoted as saying by ILNA, adding that now the neighboring countries are planning to take Iran’s place as production costs are rising.
Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture has warned that drought could cripple Iran’s agricultural sector and hamper economic growth.
And the Majlis Research Center says Khorasan Razavi, as well as the provinces of Isfahan, Hormozgan, Sistan-Baluchestan, Ardabil, Fars and Markazi, are facing a critical shortage of water.
Masoud Khansari, president of Tehran Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, says Iran is likely to lose 70% of its agricultural land in the future.
"Experts have sounded the alarm about this grave danger but so far little attention has been paid to this challenge," he wrote for the Persian economic daily Donya-e-Eqtesad.
First Saffron Gene Bank
Iran’s first saffron bulb gene bank was recently inaugurated in Torbat-e Heydariyeh. The bank has brought together saffron bulbs from 57 regions in the country, the deputy head for projects and planning of Industries, Mining and Trade House of Youth of Torbat-e Heydariyeh said.
“The aim of establishing this gene bank is for experts and genetic scientists to work on the different varieties of Iranian saffron so that ultimately one special species can be registered as Iran’s with the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization,” Ehsan Mostafavi was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
The official added that a field as big as three hectares has been dedicated for the purpose in the first phase, which will be expanded later.
“Samples from saffron production hubs, like the provinces of Khorasan Razavi, South and North Khorasan, and other provinces in which saffron cultivation has expanded throughout the years such as Isfahan, Kerman, Kermanshah, Ilam, etc., have been gathered and different tests are being carried out on them, together with the soil they were cultivated in and the water they were fed.”
Mostafavi noted that Tehran University, Mashhad’s Ferdowsi University as well as other scientific centers are closely collaborating in the project.
World’s Biggest Saffron Contract With Qatar
The world’s biggest contract for saffron trade was signed between Iran and Qatar on Sept. 18, in the presence of Iran’s Ambassador in Doha Hamidreza Dehqani-Poudeh and Qatar’s Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari.
Based on the contract, 200 tons of saffron worth $300 million will be processed and exported from Iran to the neighboring Qatar.
Experts believe this contract is one of a kind and can have a positive impact on Iran’s domestic saffron market and help export processed instead of raw saffron, creating value added for the precious Iranian spice.
Per capita consumption of saffron in Iran has been put at 1 gram. Annually, 80 tons of saffron are consumed domestically. However, Gholamreza Miri, the deputy head of Iran National Saffron Council, says local demand for saffron has dropped by 70% following the outbreak of Covid-19 and the decline in wedding and funeral ceremonies, adding that saffron is no longer a priority in the food basket of Iranian households.
Saffron, the world's costliest spice by weight, is derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and coloring agent in food.
Saffron is widely used in Persian cuisine for its distinct aroma, color and taste.
