(MENAFN- AzerNews) By Leman Mammadova
Saffron, widely used in folk medicinecenturies ago,is still one of the rarest and most precious plants in the world.
In 2018, 105 tons of saffron were exported from Iran. There was a 40 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
The chairman of the National Saffron Council of Iran Gulamrza Miri told Trend that the saffron harvest will last until December. It is expected that exports will grow by 50-60 percentby the end of the year.
According to the six-month statistics of the Customs Office, 105 tons of saffron worth $ 145 million were exported to markets.
Price per kilogram of saffron is about 60 million to -120 million rials (about $ 1,430-2,860).
Iran is the first saffron exporter in the world with a share of 44 percent, while Spain ranked the top saffron importer with a share of 23 percent. Spain, packing raw material from Iran, exports its products to the world market under its brand name.
Azerbaijan meets saffron needs by importing it fromneighboringIran, the largest saffron producer in the world. However, the country also grows this valuable plant in small amounts.
Written sources claim that in some regions of Azerbaijanthis valuable and expensive spice was cultivated more than a thousand years ago.
The small village of Bilgah on the Absheron peninsula still preserves the tradition of growing this miraculous plant. Saffron, grown in this area is not inferior to any world brand and with proper storage does not lose quality for very long years.
Absheron saffron has not entered the world markets yet. First of all, due to the fact that this product is not produced in sufficient quantity and does not have its own brand. Now only farmers are engaged in the production of saffron in the country.
The annual increase in saffron prices in international sales markets has forced scientists from the Ministry's Agrarian Science Center to direct their research to the revival of Azerbaijani saffron, Jalal Mammadov, Director of the Absheron Subtropical Plant Practice Station of the Agriculture Ministry, said earlier.
Due to the fact that the investments of the state in agriculture, the emergence of new areas, and the creation of the agricultural sector's processing industry are included to the state priorities, it is expected that further steps will be taken in the development of the production of saffron.
Today one gram of saffron in the Azerbaijani market costs 10 manats ($5.8), while the same amount in world markets stands at $20-25. Simple calculations indicate that only one ton of saffron would bring Azerbaijan about $25 million.
The saffron is used as a medicinal plant since ancient times.
Saffron is one of the best means to prevent cancer. It normalizes blood pressure of all cells in the body, strengthens the body's immune system, increases the body's overall tone, regulates gastric and intestinal activity, is useful in the treatment of asthma and bronchitis, also improves brain activity and strengthens memory, positively affects the nervous system, provides normal sleep.
Currently, saffron is widely used in the world of cosmetics.
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