The major region of saffron cultivation in greece is kozani. In the fall of 2016, the total yield from saffron cultivation was estimated to be 6,000 kg, with the total area suitable for growing the corms in afghanistan estimated to be between 15,000 to. Hashim aslami and his wife, talat aslami, at their apartment in kabul, afghanistan. Organically grown in herat province, west of afghanistan which has an. The agence francepresse photographer aref karimi covered saffron cultivation in herat, western afghanistan. But saffron cultivation was forgotten until some 22 years ago when some afghans who had been acquainted with saffron cultivation and production in iran returned and decided to continue the practice in ghoryan district in herat province. Saffron cultivation at record high in afghanistan rumi spice. Afghan saffron production increases by 17 % by khaama press in afghanistan, business on monday, 07 mar 2016 07. Afghan workers november 18, 2014, in ghoriyan district, herat province, pick saffron flowers. Drug cartels discourage saffron cultivation wadsam. Hashim aslami has just one word for afghan farmers. There is a high demand for saffron within afghanistan, however the market elsewhere is much greater such as china, india, uae, europe and the usa.
Afghan saffron 100% pure red saffron threads handpicked from afghanistan naturally grown spice premium quality kesar from organic. Afghan farmers turn to saffron as replacement for their opium crops. Afghanistans red gold saffron termed worlds best arab news. Given the table above explains the saffron production cycle in detail, starting with fertiliser, light tilling, planting of corns, first irrigation, flowers appearance and harvest, refinement of stigma, foliage cutting of fodder, lifting and forming daughter corms and root leaf development. Saffron corm normally undergo dormancy period for 5 months starting from early may up to late october where irrigation is not required. The efficiency of saffron marketing channel in iran. Wp48 saffron final research for a better afghanistan. Most saffron is grown in a belt of land ranging from the mediterranean in the west. Saffron technology futuristic aspects of saffron cultivation, usage and industry 10. Economic analysis of saffron production sciencedirect. Saffron is experiencing a revival in the country for a number of reasons.
All content is the ed material of global science books gsb. When you think of saffron, you probably think of foods like persian jujeh kabob, spanish paella, morroccan couscous, or afghani pulao. Before i tasted tahmina saffron teas by tahmina international, i watched the companys to be brave launch video. Saffron is a global highvalue commodity in which afghanistan so far is a minor player. But its also an important part of the american mennonite culture says saveur magazine, which explores the declining practice of saffron growing in rural pennsylvania while most commercial saffron production takes place in afghanistan and nearby. Afghan saffron is becoming more popular and profitable, proving to be a strong rival for the same crop grown on the other side of the border in iran. Saffron production in afghanistan dates back to more than 100 years. However, afghanistan still has far to go, with 263,000 hectares now taken up by poppy production. The government of afghanistan and international community have been trying for some years to increase saffron production as well as raise awareness of its benefits. New chinese technology helps to introduce highquality. Together, these promote afghan saffron cultivation among cashstrapped and impoverished afghan farmers.
Milyaeva 7 saffron cultivation in greece 73 apostolos h. Pdf development of a land suitability model for saffron. In herat, where a dry climate makes it one of the best saffron growing regions in afghanistan, currently 300 hectares of farmland are devoted to the purple flower a number that should grow by. Afghanistans red gold offers an alternative to a crop some afghan. With its bitter taste, haylike fragrance, and slight metallic notes, the apocarotenoidrich saffron. Why some afghanistan opium farmers turn from poppies to. We were one of the very first importers of afghan saffron and the first us company to import saffron directly from afghan farmers. Saffron cultivation was believed to spread all across afghanistan because of the efforts of united kingdom and european union. Increasing saffron production, decreasing poppy cultivation. The amount of saffron production in greece, however, has markedly fallen since 2006 due to the countrys economic fluctuations and droughts. However, in recent years, local farmers have turned to the cultivation of saffron, a far more lucrative crop. Today, significant success has been achieved and saffron is increasingly been grown in afghanistan, saffron is cultivated in more than 7 provinces regularly, a total area of around 250 hectares involving approximately 1,300 farmers. Greece, with more than 5 and 7 tons of saffron production, was the second and thirdleading producer in 2004 and 2016, respectively. Landuse requirements for saffron cultivation in khost province of afghanistan.
Saffron production is turning into a great business in. Afghanistan, poppy, replacement cultivation, saffron. The khaama press news agency is the largest online news service for afghanistan. According to the agriculture ministry, saffron was cultivated on 1,020 hectares in afghanistan in 2014 and the cultivation reached 3,000 hectares 2017 and in future the cultivation may reach 8,000 hectares. While still in its infancy, cultivation of the spice crop saffron could offer a promising. How afghanistan vets are trying to cultivate peace through. The afghan saffron industry has doubled in size 2003, and it should be a good reason for the government to place this sector at.
Land under saffron cultivation up by 800 hectares this. Saffron is the new cultivation for afghanistan not drugs. For decades afghanistan has earned worldwide notoriety for its production of drugs. Saffron, a spice derived from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus crocus sativus, has through history remained among the worlds most costly substances. Rumi spice is working with small farmers there to build the u. The video production highlights the gravitas of the companys mutlifacted mission. More recently, there are records that around 80 years ago some farmers restarted growing this crop in herat. Proceeding of 9th european business research conference pp. But farming saffron the deep red stigmas from purple crocuses that are. Saffron can be used for colouring, cooking and in the production of herbal medicine, he said, adding since the crop had a good yield, so it was an alternative to poppies. Saffron production is turning into a great business in western afghanistan 06012020 saffron is considered as one of the worlds most expensive spices as it is largely cultivated and harvested by hands requiring a vast amount of labor for its harvesting and onfarm processing. For two decades, he preached the virtues of the spice as an alternative to traditional crops and opium poppies. Saffron is a suitable plant for semiarid regions like afghanistan where water limitation is a prevalent problem.
Saffron production and farmer perceptions in pashtun zarghun. Currently in india, saffron crop is grown in pockets of kashmir like pampore and kishtwar. Except when i am asleep, the rest of the time is all on saffron, mr. He said district chiefs should encourage farmers to cultivate saffron so it could replace poppy. Schematic chart of materials and methodologies applied in land suitability assessment for saffron in khost province. To meet this demand, saffron is imported from countries like iran and afghanistan. Saffron was used to dye the woolen bolero jackets worn by minoan women. Fields of red gold saffron in afghanistan new agriculturist. Stores nprs renee montagne asks keith alaniz and emily miller about the spice company they founded with a group of veterans who served in afghanistan. Saffron is harvested from a fallblooming varietyof the crocus flower, a hardy perennial that grows from bulbs and can withstand afghanistans harsh climate. Afghan saffronlargest supplier of afghan saffron in. She describes its beauty, uses and how it has become a good replacement for opium production.
Saffron production set to exceed expectations in afghanistan. Goliaris 8 saffron cultivation in morocco 87 ahmed aitoubahou and mohamed elotmani 9 saffron technology 95 dov. As per csirihbt, the annual demand of the saffron in india is 100 tonnes per year, but its average production is about 67 tonnes per year. Three years ago we started with an audacious goal, to catalyze economic development and displace opium production in afghanistan.
In 2010, iran exported 107,900 kg of saffron compared with afghanistan s 1,000 kg schuller and morelli. As estimated, in 2019, the farmers and traders earned over usd 27 million from saffron production and export. A major source of income and an alternative to poppy. Farmers can earn more money growing saffron than poppy as 1 kg of saffron. Official figures show saffron cultivation has increased to 6,200 hectares of land in 2018, up 21% on last year. At the festival, saffron farmers have displayed the saffron flower with the method how to collect pure saffron. Thus, the ministry of agriculture, livestock and irrigation mail imported 18 tons of saffron from iran and the pilot cultivation phase started. While saffron production in afghanistan dates back more than 100 years, cultivation remained marginal until a few decades ago. Abubakar siddique wrote this story based on mohammad sadiq rashtinais reporting from kandahar, afghanistan. The eradication of poppy growing is therefore a challenging and complex task. More recently, there are records that around 80 years ago some farmers re started growing this crop in herat. Science, technology and health summarizes the scientific, technical and health aspects of this crop. Afghan farmers turn to saffron as replacement for their.
Afghan saffron has had its own saffron growing agricultural facilities in herat province read more. Worlds costliest spice set to bloom in hp, ladakh after. Comparative strategy in afghanistan saffron sector. The cultivation, started from western herat province, now covers 620 hectares in 23 provinces compared to last years 500 hectares. Afghanistan saffron recognized as the best saffron in the world reaches record high production. Microscale production of saffron can be found in australia mainly the state of tasmania, canada, central africa, china, egypt, parts of england france, israel, mexico, new zealand, sweden gotland, turkey mainly around the town of safranbolu, the united states california and pennsylvania. Afghanistan has an ideal climate for growing saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. Among the most prized spices in the world, saffron has a complex flavor that is both semisweet and slightly bitter. Afghan saffron production increases by 17 % the khaama. Four years later, it was clear that the result was better than expected. The head offices of the company, as well as the laboratory, the quality department and the packaging and logistics departments are in the city of herat, an ideal location to develop international relations. Known to have been cultivated in what is now afghanistan at least 2,000 years ago, saffron is well suited to the dry climate, heavily labor intensive but requiring little sophisticated machinery or.
The production of saffron in afghanistan is expected to surpass 4,000 kg this year with the officials expressing optimisms that the production boost could help the afghan farmers replace the illicit opium cultivation. Saffrons secret history, from production in iran to cleopatra. The dormancy period of saffron coincide with the period where water is limited. The current status of saffron production in herat province saffron production in herat province has. Saffron production in afghanistan to exceed over 4,000 kg. This case study focuses on the cultivation of saffron at the lower end of its value chain within afghanistan. The present state of saffron cultivation and technology 5 saffron crocus sativus l. Meet hasinaa, who shares how much she enjoys working with saffron. Human cultivation and use of saffron spans more than 3,500 years and extends across cultures, continents, and civilizations. Afghanistan hopeful about replacing opium crops with saffron. The only hard part about growing saffron is harvesting it. Saffron comes from the interior of the amethystcolored saffron crocus and must be handharvested due to its fragility. If you love saffron scented rice or saffron sauces as much as i do, then let me give you one great big easy to grow saffron at home.
Deputy minister of agriculture, irrigation and livestock abdul qadeer jawad, who participated in the festival, expressed happiness over the saffron cultivation situation in afghanistan and hoped saffron growing would further increase. Cleopatra was said to bathe in saffron infused mares milk before seeing a suitor. While thousands of afghan poppy farmers prepare for a harvest, money from which funds the taliban, many farmers in the west of the country are making more cash from growing the crop saffron. A startup turns to saffron to help afghanistan regrow kimberly jung, left, a former army engineer officer who served in afghanistan, is a founder of rumi spice. The cultivation of saffron in afghanistan is growing considerably, for the time being most of the saffron comes from the west part of the country where as the spice became famous all over the country and it has been cultivated and tested in some other regions as well and fortunately it has obtained a very good result, and in a near future. Afghanistan to boost saffron production as demand grows. The romans used it to scent their baths and francis bacon wrote that it makes the english sprightly. The industry employs about 6,000 people, 4,000 of them women, in the province. Afghan saffron has been recognized as one of the best. Saffron production and farmer production in pashtun zarghon district of.