“Though land under saffron cultivation increased by 10-15% this year, production is predicted to experience a decline in some regions due to drought,” Gholamreza Miri was also quoted by the Young Journalists Club as saying on Wednesday.
The official added that the Agriculture Ministry had put this year’s saffron yield estimates at around 400 tons.
Close to 95% of Iranian saffron are grown in the two provinces of South Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi, according to Financial Tribune.
Iran is the world’s biggest saffron producer and accounts for more than 90% of the global production.
More than 95.83 tons of saffron worth around $123.73 million were exported from the country during the first five months of the current Iranian year (March 21-Aug. 22), showing a 37% and 33% growth in weight and value respectively, year-on-year, the latest figures released by the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration say.
The main export destinations for Iranian saffron over the period under review were Spain, the UAE, Italy, the US, India, France, Canada, Germany, the UK, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Australia, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain, Austria, South Africa, the Netherlands, Japan, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Vietnam, Taiwan, Qatar and Kuwait, Mehr News Agency reported.
Mashhad in the northeastern Khorasan Razavi Province accounts for about 90% of Iran’s saffron exports.
“Mashhad exported close to 85 tons of saffron during the five-month period, which indicates a 30% rise year-on-year,” Miri said.