Afghanistan, poppy, replacement cultivation, saffron. The romans used it to scent their baths and francis bacon wrote that it makes the english sprightly. But farming saffron the deep red stigmas from purple crocuses that are. Milyaeva 7 saffron cultivation in greece 73 apostolos h. Saffron production in afghanistan dates back to more than 100 years. Today, significant success has been achieved and saffron is increasingly been grown in afghanistan, saffron is cultivated in more than 7 provinces regularly, a total area of around 250 hectares involving approximately 1,300 farmers. Afghan saffron 100% pure red saffron threads handpicked from afghanistan naturally grown spice premium quality kesar from organic. We were one of the very first importers of afghan saffron and the first us company to import saffron directly from afghan farmers. Together, these promote afghan saffron cultivation among cashstrapped and impoverished afghan farmers.
She describes its beauty, uses and how it has become a good replacement for opium production. The present state of saffron cultivation and technology 5 saffron crocus sativus l. Increasing saffron production, decreasing poppy cultivation. Saffron production is turning into a great business in. Microscale production of saffron can be found in australia mainly the state of tasmania, canada, central africa, china, egypt, parts of england france, israel, mexico, new zealand, sweden gotland, turkey mainly around the town of safranbolu, the united states california and pennsylvania. For two decades, he preached the virtues of the spice as an alternative to traditional crops and opium poppies. While thousands of afghan poppy farmers prepare for a harvest, money from which funds the taliban, many farmers in the west of the country are making more cash from growing the crop saffron.
Saffron is the new cultivation for afghanistan not drugs. Thus, the ministry of agriculture, livestock and irrigation mail imported 18 tons of saffron from iran and the pilot cultivation phase started. The government of afghanistan and international community have been trying for some years to increase saffron production as well as raise awareness of its benefits. Economic analysis of saffron production sciencedirect. The efficiency of saffron marketing channel in iran. Saffron is a global highvalue commodity in which afghanistan so far is a minor player. The industry employs about 6,000 people, 4,000 of them women, in the province. How afghanistan vets are trying to cultivate peace through. Saffron production and farmer production in pashtun zarghon district of. The agence francepresse photographer aref karimi covered saffron cultivation in herat, western afghanistan.
Saffron cultivation was believed to spread all across afghanistan because of the efforts of united kingdom and european union. Saffron was used to dye the woolen bolero jackets worn by minoan women. Afghanistans red gold saffron termed worlds best arab news. Saffron production and farmer perceptions in pashtun zarghun. Afghan saffron is becoming more popular and profitable, proving to be a strong rival for the same crop grown on the other side of the border in iran. Afghanistans red gold offers an alternative to a crop some afghan. If you love saffron scented rice or saffron sauces as much as i do, then let me give you one great big easy to grow saffron at home. Why some afghanistan opium farmers turn from poppies to. Afghan farmers turn to saffron as replacement for their opium crops. With hot, dry winds over semiarid lands, afghanistans growing region is ideal for growing saffron. While still in its infancy, cultivation of the spice crop saffron could offer a promising. Fields of red gold saffron in afghanistan new agriculturist. Organically grown in herat province, west of afghanistan which has an. Four years later, it was clear that the result was better than expected.
For decades afghanistan has earned worldwide notoriety for its production of drugs. More recently, there are records that around 80 years ago some farmers restarted growing this crop in herat. Abubakar siddique wrote this story based on mohammad sadiq rashtinais reporting from kandahar, afghanistan. In 2010, iran exported 107,900 kg of saffron compared with afghanistan s 1,000 kg schuller and morelli. To meet this demand, saffron is imported from countries like iran and afghanistan. According to the agriculture ministry, saffron was cultivated on 1,020 hectares in afghanistan in 2014 and the cultivation reached 3,000 hectares 2017 and in future the cultivation may reach 8,000 hectares. Saffrons secret history, from production in iran to cleopatra. At the festival, saffron farmers have displayed the saffron flower with the method how to collect pure saffron. Afghan saffronlargest supplier of afghan saffron in.
Pdf development of a land suitability model for saffron. The afghan saffron industry has doubled in size 2003, and it should be a good reason for the government to place this sector at. Hashim aslami and his wife, talat aslami, at their apartment in kabul, afghanistan. Wp48 saffron final research for a better afghanistan. This case study focuses on the cultivation of saffron at the lower end of its value chain within afghanistan. Landuse requirements for saffron cultivation in khost province of afghanistan. Among the most prized spices in the world, saffron has a complex flavor that is both semisweet and slightly bitter. Afghanistan to boost saffron production as demand grows. Saffron production is turning into a great business in western afghanistan 06012020 saffron is considered as one of the worlds most expensive spices as it is largely cultivated and harvested by hands requiring a vast amount of labor for its harvesting and onfarm processing. Cleopatra was said to bathe in saffron infused mares milk before seeing a suitor. Rumi spice is working with small farmers there to build the u. Proceeding of 9th european business research conference pp.
The khaama press news agency is the largest online news service for afghanistan. Afghanistan has an ideal climate for growing saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. Stores nprs renee montagne asks keith alaniz and emily miller about the spice company they founded with a group of veterans who served in afghanistan. The production of saffron in afghanistan is expected to surpass 4,000 kg this year with the officials expressing optimisms that the production boost could help the afghan farmers replace the illicit opium cultivation. Saffron is experiencing a revival in the country for a number of reasons. Science, technology and health summarizes the scientific, technical and health aspects of this crop.
When you think of saffron, you probably think of foods like persian jujeh kabob, spanish paella, morroccan couscous, or afghani pulao. But saffron cultivation was forgotten until some 22 years ago when some afghans who had been acquainted with saffron cultivation and production in iran returned and decided to continue the practice in ghoryan district in herat province. Afghan saffron has been recognized as one of the best. There is a high demand for saffron within afghanistan, however the market elsewhere is much greater such as china, india, uae, europe and the usa. Hashim aslami has just one word for afghan farmers. Saffron, a spice derived from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus crocus sativus, has through history remained among the worlds most costly substances. Worlds costliest spice set to bloom in hp, ladakh after. Drug cartels discourage saffron cultivation wadsam. The head offices of the company, as well as the laboratory, the quality department and the packaging and logistics departments are in the city of herat, an ideal location to develop international relations. Meet hasinaa, who shares how much she enjoys working with saffron. Saffron production in afghanistan to exceed over 4,000 kg. As per csirihbt, the annual demand of the saffron in india is 100 tonnes per year, but its average production is about 67 tonnes per year. The cultivation of saffron in afghanistan is growing considerably, for the time being most of the saffron comes from the west part of the country where as the spice became famous all over the country and it has been cultivated and tested in some other regions as well and fortunately it has obtained a very good result, and in a near future. However, in recent years, local farmers have turned to the cultivation of saffron, a far more lucrative crop.
Afghan saffron production increases by 17 % by khaama press in afghanistan, business on monday, 07 mar 2016 07. The video production highlights the gravitas of the companys mutlifacted mission. Afghan saffron production increases by 17 % the khaama. But its also an important part of the american mennonite culture says saveur magazine, which explores the declining practice of saffron growing in rural pennsylvania while most commercial saffron production takes place in afghanistan and nearby. Land under saffron cultivation up by 800 hectares this. Three years ago we started with an audacious goal, to catalyze economic development and displace opium production in afghanistan.
Saffron is a suitable plant for semiarid regions like afghanistan where water limitation is a prevalent problem. All content is the ed material of global science books gsb. Afghan workers november 18, 2014, in ghoriyan district, herat province, pick saffron flowers. Schematic chart of materials and methodologies applied in land suitability assessment for saffron in khost province. Saffron cultivation at record high in afghanistan rumi spice. He said district chiefs should encourage farmers to cultivate saffron so it could replace poppy. While saffron production in afghanistan dates back more than 100 years, cultivation remained marginal until a few decades ago. Saffron production set to exceed expectations in afghanistan. Saffron chemistry the present state of saffron cultivation and technology 5. Comparative strategy in afghanistan saffron sector. The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food.
Most saffron is grown in a belt of land ranging from the mediterranean in the west. Given the table above explains the saffron production cycle in detail, starting with fertiliser, light tilling, planting of corns, first irrigation, flowers appearance and harvest, refinement of stigma, foliage cutting of fodder, lifting and forming daughter corms and root leaf development. Saffron technology futuristic aspects of saffron cultivation, usage and industry 10. The amount of saffron production in greece, however, has markedly fallen since 2006 due to the countrys economic fluctuations and droughts. Deputy minister of agriculture, irrigation and livestock abdul qadeer jawad, who participated in the festival, expressed happiness over the saffron cultivation situation in afghanistan and hoped saffron growing would further increase. Farmers can earn more money growing saffron than poppy as 1 kg of saffron. As estimated, in 2019, the farmers and traders earned over usd 27 million from saffron production and export. Afghanistan saffron recognized as the best saffron in the world reaches record high production. The major region of saffron cultivation in greece is kozani. Afghan farmers turn to saffron as replacement for their. In the fall of 2016, the total yield from saffron cultivation was estimated to be 6,000 kg, with the total area suitable for growing the corms in afghanistan estimated to be between 15,000 to.
Before i tasted tahmina saffron teas by tahmina international, i watched the companys to be brave launch video. Afghan saffron has had its own saffron growing agricultural facilities in herat province read more. Human cultivation and use of saffron spans more than 3,500 years and extends across cultures, continents, and civilizations. Saffron can be used for colouring, cooking and in the production of herbal medicine, he said, adding since the crop had a good yield, so it was an alternative to poppies. New chinese technology helps to introduce highquality. The cultivation, started from western herat province, now covers 620 hectares in 23 provinces compared to last years 500 hectares. A major source of income and an alternative to poppy. With its bitter taste, haylike fragrance, and slight metallic notes, the apocarotenoidrich saffron. The dormancy period of saffron coincide with the period where water is limited. Currently in india, saffron crop is grown in pockets of kashmir like pampore and kishtwar. A startup turns to saffron to help afghanistan regrow. In herat, where a dry climate makes it one of the best saffron growing regions in afghanistan, currently 300 hectares of farmland are devoted to the purple flower a number that should grow by. The eradication of poppy growing is therefore a challenging and complex task. Saffron corm normally undergo dormancy period for 5 months starting from early may up to late october where irrigation is not required.
Known to have been cultivated in what is now afghanistan at least 2,000 years ago, saffron is well suited to the dry climate, heavily labor intensive but requiring little sophisticated machinery or. Official figures show saffron cultivation has increased to 6,200 hectares of land in 2018, up 21% on last year. Herats opium fields make way for saffron the national. Afghanistan hopeful about replacing opium crops with saffron. Saffron is harvested from a fallblooming varietyof the crocus flower, a hardy perennial that grows from bulbs and can withstand afghanistans harsh climate. Saffron comes from the interior of the amethystcolored saffron crocus and must be handharvested due to its fragility. However, afghanistan still has far to go, with 263,000 hectares now taken up by poppy production. More recently, there are records that around 80 years ago some farmers re started growing this crop in herat.
The current status of saffron production in herat province saffron production in herat province has. The only hard part about growing saffron is harvesting it. A startup turns to saffron to help afghanistan regrow kimberly jung, left, a former army engineer officer who served in afghanistan, is a founder of rumi spice. Goliaris 8 saffron cultivation in morocco 87 ahmed aitoubahou and mohamed elotmani 9 saffron technology 95 dov. Except when i am asleep, the rest of the time is all on saffron, mr.
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