ISNA / Khorasan Razavi The Deputy Minister of Crop Production Improvement of Khorasan Razavi Jihad Agricultural Organization announced a 35% decrease in saffron production in the province compared to last year and said: “Last year, saffron production was 302 tons, but this year it will be less than 200 tons.”
In an interview with ISNA, Gholam Hossein Sarban stated about the amount of saffron production and harvest this year: The area under saffron cultivation in Khorasan Razavi in 1999 was 90,900 hectares. Iran produces more than 92% of the world’s saffron, of which 70% is produced in Khorasan Razavi. For this reason, our province is mentioned as a saffron production center
Each hectare of saffron creates employment for 210 people
He added: saffron creates employment for 210 people per production per hectare. It is estimated that 117,000 households in Khorasan Razavi earn money from saffron production.
Saffron is harvested in very cold climates in Khorasan Razavi and in a limited way
Referring to the harvest of saffron in the cold climates of the province, Sarban said: The harvest of saffron in the very cold climates of Khorasan Razavi is being done in a limited way. As an agricultural expert, I believe that the more strict the production and processing of saffron, the higher the quality of this product. Up to 70% of saffron produced in Khorasan Razavi is exported to other countries and with the increase in the quality of this product, its export market will be more favorable.
He said: Saffron harvest has recently started in some parts of the province, including Torbat-e Heydarieh and parts of Zaveh city, in a limited way, and the saffron of these cities has a very good quality and price. Currently, saffron flowers are sold at a price of 250,000 Tomans per kilo.
Sarban added: “Although many investments have been made in the field of mechanization of saffron harvest, but because saffron is planted manually, we are not able to use machines to harvest it.” But in the field of cleaning and drying saffron, good progress has been made and we have had a good performance in this field.
Author: Ali Khakpash
