TEHRAN: In the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 21), more than 52 tons of Saffron with an aggregate value of $75 million have been exported, up 9.5 percent compared with the same time span last year, the Mehr News Agency quoted from Gholamreza Amiri, vice president of Iran’s National Council of Saffron.
A point-by-point comparison of saffron exports for the sixth month (August 23-September 22) of the current and previous Iranian calendar years is quite disappointing as there is 58 percent drop from above 10.58 tons in the previous year to a low of 5.5 in the current year.
The undisputed capital for saffron production is Iran, where the tradition dates back over 3,000 years. The country produces over 90% of the 250 tons produced worldwide each year, boosted by unique ecological conditions that deliver a strong-flavored, aromatic crop that is a staple of local cuisine, cosmetics and traditional medicine, CNN reported.
According to the report issued by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), more than 158 tons of saffron amounting to $227 million have been exported in 2014.
