Iran to Continue Supporting Saffron Farmers: Official

Hossein Shirzad the deputy minister of agriculture and chairman of the Board of the Central Organization for Rural Cooperatives of Iran (CORC) said that from the initiating saffron harvesting in the current cropping year (started on mid-October), CORC has succeeded to purchase 39 tones saffron and paid farmers about IR.12 billion.

"To implement the agricultural ministry's policy on supporting saffron farmers, enhancement of sustainable production and boosting export revenue, CORC has been purchasing saffron with the supporting prices set by the ministry", he added.

Adopting a target-oriented approach to attain maximum efficiency accompanied with minimum intervention, CORC issued technical and practical guidelines for saffron purchasing procedures. The guidelines have been communicated to the South and Razavi Khorasan where are the main hubs of saffron cultivation in Iran. In each province, a working group is formed to monitor implementing the guidelines regarding market regulating of crops including saffron. Headed by the Chief of provincial agro-organization and other stakeholders, these working groups have developed regional saffron purchasing center.

" CORC has also determined 18 reference laboratories for quality control and physicochemical analysis of saffron .Based on the results of these analyses, saffron is categorized to All Red, Negin, Pushal and Bunch. Each category is transacted with a distinctive price. ", the official noted.

Meanwhile, farmers have been continually informed on the supporting price through local and national media, newspapers and in the Friday-praying.

"Having the short-term and long term visions, this project is pursuing national and international goals," Shirzad asserted.