Mashhad – Facing growing water scarcity and the impacts of climate change, Iran’s Khorasan Razavi province, located in northeastern Iran, is promoting asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida) as a drought-tolerant medicinal crop that offers both high export potential and sustainable rural development.

 

Known as the “stinking gold” for its pungent resin, asafoetida thrives in the province’s semi-arid climate and requires only about 2,500 cubic meters of water per hectare, making it a practical alternative to water-intensive crops.

 

In addition to conserving water, the plant helps stabilize soil, reduce erosion, and restore degraded rangelands. Its resin is widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries, with strong demand in export markets, particularly India and the Persian Gulf.

 

According to Rezaei, Director of Horticulture Affairs at the Khorasan Razavi Agriculture Department, asafoetida generates an estimated 3–4 billion tomans in production value per hectare, making it one of the province’s most profitable medicinal crops.

 

He said much of the province’s output is export-oriented, adding that authorities are seeking to expand domestic processing to increase value-added production and strengthen the sector’s contribution to the regional economy.