The Herat Saffron Growers Union has announced a significant increase in saffron production, with a remarkable 96 percent of the province’s saffron being exported to international markets.
Sayed Abdul Wahid Sadat, deputy head of the Union, reported that the current market price for high-quality saffron is approximately 110,000 Afghanis per kilogram. He noted that rising prices have encouraged more farmers to cultivate saffron, contributing to an upward trend in production levels.
Officials from local saffron processing companies highlighted the high quality of Herat saffron as a driving factor behind increased global demand. One company representative stated that improvements in the export process have enabled them to successfully ship saffron to markets in Oman, India, and several Arab nations.
Additionally, the Herat Department of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock reported an increase of 1,000 hectares in saffron cultivation over the past year. Currently, 9,000 hectares in Herat are dedicated to this lucrative crop.
Herat is renowned as Afghanistan’s primary saffron production center, benefitting from a favorable climate, fertile soil, and the extensive experience of local farmers in saffron cultivation and harvesting.
