According to Hossein Zainali; In April and May 2024, more than 25 tons of saffron worth 22 million dollars were exported from Iran, implemented by the National Medicinal Plant Project of the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad. Stating that this amount of saffron has been exported to 37 countries through the country's legal channels, he said: China, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Afghanistan and Italy are now in the first to fifth ranks of saffron exports. Pointing to the importance of producing and completing multiple links in the value chain of medicinal plants, he added: In the 2023 crop year, more than 238,000 kilograms of saffron were produced in the country and sent to domestic and international markets.
Saying that in 2023, the total area under saffron cultivation in Iran was 127,370 hectares, Zainli stated: Of this amount, 125,156 hectares are fertile and 2,211 hectares are infertile, and among these are the provinces of Razavi Khorasan and South Khorasan, respectively. They have taken the first and second place in both criteria of cultivated area and production of saffron. The executive of the National Medicinal Plant Plan of the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad, regarding the basic and strategic measures in the field of saffron, pointed out the importance of improving performance and supporting producers and added: Education and transfer of new findings and various promotion programs are suitable and practical solutions to increase performance and always It is the emphasis of this office.
Considering the significant rains in the first quarter of the year in different regions of the country, Zainli predicted that the yield and amount of saffron production in the country will increase this year. The executive of the National Medicinal Plants Project of the Ministry of Agricultural Jihad, while appreciating the producers and activists of the saffron value chain, emphasized the importance of developing the value chain of medicinal plants in the country.