Tehran – Iran's Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO) has completed the first phase of a five-year national saffron initiative, delivering new technologies and research aimed at boosting productivity and value addition across the country's saffron industry.

 

Saeed Zarif-Neshat, head of the Khorasan Razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, said the project, implemented from 2020 to 2025, focused on improving saffron quality, increasing production efficiency and strengthening Iran's competitiveness in global markets.

 

Key achievements include the development of improved cultivation practices, specialized machinery such as saffron planting and drying equipment, and new technologies for extracting high-purity crocin and producing biodegradable materials from saffron waste.

 

The initiative also introduced certified saffron corm standards, tissue culture propagation techniques, rapid disease detection tools and integrated farm management software to enhance crop health and productivity.

 

According to Zarif-Neshat, the project demonstrates how collaboration among research institutions, knowledge-based companies and the private sector can accelerate innovation, commercialization and sustainable growth in Iran's strategic saffron industry.