Best Saffron Cultivated in Iran to export

It is well-known in the world that Iran has the best-quality Saffron that exports to thousands of distributors world-wide.
 

 

Saffron position in Iran

Saffron is one of the most valuable agricultural products in Iran.

This crop is considered to be an important export of the country despite the slight need for irrigation and protection.

Given the very favorable climatic conditions of Iran for its cultivation, as well as the growing need to know how to produce this autumn gold, this product prepares for the families of the north-east region of Iran.
 

Saffron cultivation and its importance in the agricultural economy

At present, it can be said that the share of more than 90% of world saffron production in Iran with regard to the area under cultivation - the two provinces of Khorasan Razavi and southern Khorasan - is the result of spending almost twice the current production cost.

If we consider the share of saffron production per hectare at an average of 5 kg (number of crops in the saffron fields during the years 1971 to 1991), we should harvest 6315 hectares of saffron in the two provinces, amounting to more than 315,000 kg of saffron.
 

Serious attention to quality equal to the demand of the customer in recent years has led to the desire of the buyer to be reached to the producer's ear and the quality has improved dramatically.

But we must not forget that the status quo will lead to the emergence of competitors and the gradual loss of the market.

Therefore, continuous change in production conditions to improve quality, reduce cost, increase yield and create saffron-related conversion industries is inevitable.

Finally, saffron life in a part of our country is tied to the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of farmer families who stay in the countryside with minimal natural facilities and very little rainfall and can continue their livelihoods.
 

Botanicals of saffron

The saffron, scientifically named Crocus Sativus, belongs to the Iridaceae family.
It is a perennial plant with a height of approximately 30 cm that has long, green leaves such as a leek.

Its underground stem consists of two onions.

These onions are hard, circular, carnivorous and covered with thin brown color membranes.
The saffron flowers are purple, regular and consist of a long tube that leads to three petals and sepals.

Suitable climate for saffron cultivation

Saffron is a semi-tropical plant and grows well in areas with mild winters and hot summers.
Saffron resistance to cold is high but since its growth coincides with autumn, winter and early spring, naturally temperate weather is needed at this time.
 

Suitable land for planting saffron

Since saffron onions have a corm and are fertilized every year, the land should preferably have loamy soil, clay and sandy loam so that they can reproduce easily.
 

Time of planting saffron onions

The best time to plant and transplant saffron onions is in the first half of July. Saffron onions need to be removed from the old land for a maximum of two weeks and planted in the new land.
 

How to plant saffron onions

First, it is necessary to level the ground so that it is perfectly uniform, because in the case of rough terrain, a part of it that is tall will have less water and a part that is hollow will collect extra water.

Dehydration and waterlogging cause uniformity of production at the farm level.

The soil is then irrigated to a low level and spread to the ground at a level of 20 to 30 tonnes per hectare from rotting animal manure (preferably cow manure) and then fertilized with a tractor.

First create a furrow about 20cm deep and 25cm wide, then plant on both sides of the furrow about 7cm long on the groove, making sure the bottom of the bulb is on the ground to prevent rotation. We cut the onion in the soil a little.

After the full width of the land has been planted in this way, the same furrow of the same size as the previous groove will be re-planted 25 cm away from the previous groove and the soil removed from the groove will be laid in the previous groove. It should be planted in the same way.
 

Harvesting and Processing Iranian Saffron

Harvesting the saffron flower is done by hand only.

The best time to harvest the saffron is to make the saffron fragrance and color very early in the morning before the buds open.

Harvesting saffron flowers or buds requires a great deal of patience.

The action of the picking flower is like this to take the tip of the bud and pull the flower out.  

Immediately after saffron separation, drying operations are usually carried out in three ways:

• The best way to dry, which is inexpensive and not time consuming, is to make 4 metal stands of 1-meter height that have 3 or 4 floors 20 cm apart. The floors are made of mesh and portable. Quickly dry the saffron by placing 4 stand next to the heater and at high heat and using the wind or ceiling fan.

• Traditional method: Put the stigma of the flower isolated on the shade on a surface to gradually dry out. In the old days and sometimes nowadays, saffron is dried in the sunlight, which is unnatural and reduces pigmentation, as well as the possibility of contamination with foreign materials, increasing dust and not economical value.

• Testing method (sieve and heater) In this method of drying, some moistened saffron is poured into a sieve-shaped container consisting of a silk mesh and about 50 cm away from heat sources which may be electric or gas. They do not contain smoke and odor, and after drying they are placed in closed containers.

 

How to keep and protect Iranian Saffron

Completely dried saffron should be kept away from light and moisture.

The saffron is stored in a metallic or metallic opaque container at a moderate temperature, as the saffron essential oil is volatile, if it is stored improperly it evaporates over time and reduces its medicinal and taste effects then its quality is lost.

It is recommended not to use plastic containers, especially used nylons, for saffron storage and to ensure that the saffron does not break or crack.
 

Iranian Saffron consumption

• For Food consumption

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), saffron is authorized as a natural dye, and its use as a natural flavoring.

• Medicinal uses of Saffron

Saffron is due to its active ingredients such as Crocin, Crocetin and other types of carotenoids can reduce the tumor state of the tissues and have anti-cancer properties, and can also reduce the serum lipid levels and cause a hypolymphemic state (hypoglycemic) in the blood serum.

It also increases tissue oxygenation and can significantly prevent disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
 

Industrial Use of Iranian Saffron

Saffron is used in the industry to dye silk and yarn

Iran Saffron to Export - How to distinguish pure saffron from fake sample?  

 

Iranian Saffron is well-known around the world since Iran is the first producer of this so-called “Red Gold”. 

 

It is the time to know about the ways of distinguishing pure Saffron from counterfeit sample.

Saffron is a plant that many researchers believe its first home has been Iran and about 65% of its production in the world is in Iran. 

 

The scientific name of saffron is Crocus Sativus.L and is one of the medicinal plants that dates back more than 2500 years ago.

 

It is said to be native to Greece and the Mediterranean region, but many researchers believe that saffron origin belongs to the slopes of the Zagros Mountains, especially the Alvand area in Iran, as the most valuable spice in the world.

 

Saffron has many varieties and about 80 species are mentioned.

 

 

 

Depending on the blooming time different varieties of saffron are divided into three top categories:

 

1. Agricultural saffron (Saffron available in the market), Wild, Caspian, Gilan, Zagros, Long flower, Joghasem and flowering season is in fall.
2. Dogol, Arius and Almea, flowering in spring
3. Purple and Kurkuri saffron, flowering begins in winter.

Environmental requirements of saffron cultivation

 

Saffron is grown in different climates with varying conditions in terms of altitude, temperature variations and air humidity.

 

Saffron cultivation can be found at 2000 meters above sea level.

 

Low temperatures and a decrease in the intensity and duration of light exposure in winter decrease the growth capacity of the plant and hence decrease the growth rate of this plant.

 

But the great advantage of saffron is that it can be cultivated in arid or semi-arid regions where there is scarcity of water in the summer.

 

So saffron is a tropical plant and grows well in areas where temperate climates, hot and dry summers and sunny, autumn and winter are relatively mild.

 

 

The plant needs a little water between 600-700 mm in a growing season, which is related to temperature.

 

Saffron can withstand ambient temperatures of -15 to -20 ° C in winter and 35-40 ° C in summer.

 

The duration of daylighting time has significant effects on saffron flowering. The best lighting duration for this plant is 11 hours.

 

Spring rains have a significant effect on the propagation of new onions, while second rains in late summer or early autumn help to produce flowers that will give the plant good performance.

 

Freezing and raining during flowering are very harmful and can cause a great deal of damage to the yield of the plant. Wet and flooded soils (such as rice cultivation) are not suitable for saffron cultivation, as saffron onions in these soils rapidly decay.

 

Harvesting and yield of saffron

 

Harvesting the saffron product involves picking flowers and removing stigmas (edible red) from other parts of the flower.

 

The time of harvesting of saffron crops varies from climatic conditions of saffron points from late October to late December.

 

Saffron flowers usually appear in late October and gradually increase in number.

The average shelf life of flowers is 3 days if not picked.

 

Usually the flowering period of saffron is about 15 to 20 days and the flowering period is 10 to 15 days.

 

The best time to harvest flowers to preserve the quality and aroma of saffron is early in the morning before buds open.

 

 

Economic position of saffron

 

As the most valuable spice in the world and the most expensive agricultural product, saffron has a special place among export products.

 

At present, Iran is the largest producer and exporter of saffron in the world and more than 65% of the world production of this precious product is devoted to Iran.

Although this valuable spice has been cultivated all over Iran in the past, most of the country's saffron is now produced in Khorasan province (Torbat Heydariyeh, Qain, Birjand and Tabas) and in other provinces the production is lower.

 

In addition to Iran, the main countries producing saffron are India, Greece, Azerbaijan, Spain, Morocco and Italy.

 

At a saffron crop, at the peak of the fifth year's crop yield, about one ton of flowers per hectare is harvested, of which only about thirteen kg of dried saffron can be produced.

 

A solution to identify pure saffron from counterfeit

 

The saffron plant can be squeezed between the fingers and shaped like a ball to see if the round shape is maintained.

 

Because pure saffron is flexible and breaks down quickly when pressed.

 

In addition, if we approach matches with pure saffron, we can see that the pure sample will quickly ignite and hardly leave a trace.

 

While a string of fake saffron burns hard, it throws sparks around, easily extinguishes and leaves considerable residue.

 

 

Here are some of the most common saffron cheats ever made:

 

Cheating method

• Mixing with old saffron extract
• Add flags or creams of filigree and colored flowers
• Add moisture, impregnate with syrup, honey, glycerin, barium sulfate, sodium sulfate, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, lactose, starch or glucose, potassium nitrate, sodium brat
• Add parts of other plants such as evergreen flowers, stigmas of other species of saffron, milled red pepper, turmeric