Iran Saffron Production Up By 20% Last Year

Mashhad, May 19, IRNA -- Iranian saffron production last Iranian year (ended on March 20, 2013) registered 20 percent growth compared to the preceding year, official with Agricultural Jihad Ministry announced on Sunday. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony marking inauguration of Hall for Executives of Mashhad Goods Stock Exchange, director general for the Ministryˈs vegetables, ornamental and pharmaceutical plants affairs, Hassan Khadangi said that based on the statistics, the cropˈs under cultivation area stands at 85,000 hectares. Saffron production for 2013 was 311 tons, registering a 20 percent rise compared to the figure for the 2012, he said. Khorasan-e Razavi province produces 80 percent of Iranian saffron as the first producer of the crop in country while South Khorasan province is the second with 18 percent of total output. Khadangi further noted that Iran produces 94 percent of the worldˈs total output, while the remaining countries produce only 20 tons of saffron. He said that some 137 tons of saffron valued at 200 million dollars were exported last year. 8072**1416