The Director of Saffron Association in Herat province Bashir Ahmad Rashidi says that Turkey has pledged to procure of Saffron Afghanistan and replace its current purchase market which is Spain.
A group of the representatives of Herat’s Saffron Association had recently visited Turkey in a bid to find market for the Afghan Saffron.
Rashidi further added that the Turkish officials have also pledged to deploy an economic attaché in Herat province besides resolving issues surrounding taxation and issuance of business visas.
More than 90 percent of Afghanistan’s Saffron is being harvest in western Herat province of Afghanistan where around 30 Saffron communities or associations are actively operation along with at least 20 Saffron companies.
The growing harvest of Saffron has also paved the way for employment of a large number of residents of Herat province despite the farmers and traders complain regarding the reduction of the prices of Saffron product in this province.
According to the officials, the price per kilogram of Saffron has dropped from 60,000 Afghanis to 28,000 while reports also indicate that a kilogram of Saffron has also been sold as low as 20,000 Afghanis.
The Afghan Saffron is currently being exported to India, United Arab Emirates, and some other countries.