Up to 190 metric tons of saffron have been produced in the current Iranian year (ending March 20) and the export level has increased by 22 percent, Secretary of National Saffron Council Farshid Manouchehri has told IRNA. The production level has decreased about 30 percent, since last year when 200 tons of saffron was produced, he said. Over 83 thousand hectares of farm land is currently under saffron farming, he added. Manouchehri had previously called on the government to establish a so-called national saffron development fund to help organize the saffron market, regulate price fluctuations and promote exports. The fund would provide loans for exporters and enables them to directly purchase the product from the farmers. This would support both producers and exporters.
