North Khorasan - Three saffron exchange warehouses are set to become operational in Iran’s North Khorasan Province, with facilities in the cities of Shirvan and Faruj in the northeastern Iran nearing completion and expected to begin operations ahead of the upcoming saffron harvest, the head of the provincial Agriculture Organization said.

 

Esmaeil Mahmoudabadi said the province plans to establish three saffron exchange warehouses, adding that the facilities in Shirvan and Faruj have made significant progress and are in the final stages of preparation.

 

“Efforts are under way to complete the remaining work so that the warehouses can become operational as the saffron harvest season approaches,” he said.

 

More than 5,500 hectares of farmland in North Khorasan are devoted to saffron cultivation, with the province expected to produce more than 32 tons of saffron this year, Mahmoudabadi said.

 

He described the new warehouses as an important step toward reducing the sale of saffron as a raw product, strengthening the province’s saffron brand and creating opportunities to export the spice under the North Khorasan name.

 

According to Mahmoudabadi, expanding saffron exchange infrastructure, developing a stronger regional brand, completing the production-to-market chain and facilitating exports are key priorities for increasing the value added of North Khorasan’s saffron.