Ruhollah Latifi, the caretaker head of the Department of Monitoring and Foreign Trade of "the Central Organization for Rural Cooperative of Iran" said on Saturday that a total of 81,521 kg of saffron worth $88 million were exported from Iran to 47 countries during the first five months of this year, showing an increase of 66% in weight and 52% in value compared to the same period in the last year.
China with 28,447 kg worth $33.32 million of imports was the biggest destination for Iranian saffron, he added.
It was followed by the UAE with 19,116 kg worth $21.33 million, Spain with 15,513 kg worth $15.925 million, Qatar with 7,123kg worth $7.1 million, and Afghanistan with 5,583 kg worth $5.348 million.
Italy, Oman, France, India, and Kuwait are the number 6 to 10 destinations of the Iranian saffron during the said period, he further noted.
Iran produces over 90% of all saffron produced in the world, 80% of which are exported. However, the share of Iran in the global trade of saffron is disproportionately low, as many customers of the Iranian spice buy it in bulk and reexport after packaging it to third countries.
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