TEHRAN - The head of Khorassan Razavi Saffron Exporters Union of Iran underlined that nearly 214 tonnes of saffron were exported from the country in the past Persian calendar year (ended on March 20).
“Nearly 90% of the saffron produced in Iran is exported and only 10% of it is consumed in the domestic market,” Gholamreza Miri said.
Noting that the exports of saffron have been upward in the first six months of the current year, he said, “It is expected that this trend will continue until the end of the year and the amount of exports will increase compared to last year.”
“At present, the Iranian saffron is exported to 71 countries in the world, including the European countries, the U.S., the Persian Gulf littoral states, Australia and South America, including Venezuela. This export covers almost five continents of the world,” Miri said.
Iran is the main supplier of saffron worldwide with 90-95% of saffron world production.
Iranian saffron is often regarded as the finest saffron available anywhere in the world. Furthermore, it is a nutrient-dense, health-promoting food. As a result, the medicinal benefits of saffron include lowering blood pressure, avoiding heart disease, lowering cholesterol, and boosting mood and energy levels, among other things. It also has a high concentration of antioxidants, which may aid in the prevention and treatment of cancer. It also aids in the healing of the stomach, the belly, and intestines.
Despite the fact that saffron has a wide range of medicinal qualities, excessive intake may result in toxicity. Excessive intake of saffron may cause death in the human body, which is why it is advised that you should not consume more than five grams in a single meal.
In May, the director of the extract production center at the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research said that Iran’s exports of saffron extract with high crocin to Canada and South Korea has increased.
“Samples of our produced extracts have been sent to Canada and South Korea and we have received good feedback from customers. For instance, saffron extract with crocin above 55% has been sent to Canada and with more than 40% to South Korea,” Mahboub Habibzadeh said.
“A variety of herbal extracts are produced in this center and are used for various applications, including human medicine, food industry, livestock and poultry, and cosmetics,” he added.
“Among the most widely used extracts in this center are thyme, eucalyptus, lemon balm, yarrow, and fennel. These extracts are specifically recommended for livestock and poultry and have antibiotic properties and immune system boosting properties,” Habibzadeh said.