Iran's saffron exports reached a value of $207,786,281 in the year ending March 2023 (Iranian calendar year 1402), according to Roohollah Latifi, Head of the Study, Monitoring and Market Development Office.

 

This translates to 221 metric tons of the precious spice shipped to 55 countries worldwide, Latifi said.

While both export weight and global saffron prices increased, he noted a 15.7% decline in total export value compared to the previous year, he added. However, there's a positive twist with exports of smaller saffron quantities (under 30 grams) saw a significant jump, rising from 15.5% to 22% of total exports.

The United Arab Emirates emerged as the top buyer of Iranian saffron, followed by China, Spain, and Afghanistan (experiencing a whopping 198% increase). Other major destinations included Qatar, Italy, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, and France, according to Latifi.

 

Saffron remains a crucial Iranian export, and the country is actively seeking to streamline regulations and boost overseas shipments of this valuable spice.