Afghanistan now world’s 3rd largest saffron producer

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghanistan produced saffron weighing 16 tonnes this solar year and exported 13 tonnes, becoming the world’s third largest saffron exporting and producing country.

Talking about the National Saffron Export Strategy, Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Naseer Ahmad Durrani said saffron was cultivated in 28 provinces of the country.

He said the Afghan saffron was of high quality and after Spain and Iran, Afghanistan was the third country known for its quality saffron product in the world.

He said around 13 tonnes of saffron was exported to India during the outgoing solar year and its export to Saudi Arabia was being facilitated.

The National Saffron Export Strategy was approved this solar year by the National High Economic Council.

Acting Commerce and Industry Minister Kamela Sediqui said the strategy evolved around seven sectors including the important saffron sector.

She believed the strategy’s implementation would boost Afghanistan’s exports specially saffron.

Atiqullah Nasrat, head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI), said the national export strategy’s main purpose was to improve the export and quality of saffron.

He asked the Afghan envoys to facilitate the Afghan saffron exhibitions in the countries where they had been stationed.

He said some businessmen imported Iranian saffron to Afghanistan and exported it to the world’s markets as Afghan brand.