Iran Saffron Production Report 2021-2022

Iranian saffron production has decreased more than half (around 65 to 70%) of last year’s production volume. Many factors have contributed to such dramatic changes to Iran production volume. Let’s continue to see why this has happened and how it affects international markets. 

Why saffron production has decreased in 2021?

Primarily, Iran production has been halved due to drought and little rainfall intensity. Inadequate rain intensity in saffron corm’s growth period resulted in lower production levels in 2021. Iranian saffran production has decreased to less than 180 tons per year, while it was produced near 350-400 tons in previous years.

Also, farmers are showing less interest in saffron cultivation due to its high production costs and relatively low prices in local markets, for consecutive years. Therefore, the resulted weeds and ineffective petal nutrition will have adverse effect on product well-being. Worst of all, some farmers had to completely destroy their farms, to eliminate further financial losses.

On the other hand, some farmers are expanding their saffron farms, regardless of low hydro supply, and excessive use of underground water supply. Such actions will result in blight attacks to the in farms.

frostbite in early 2021, and long hot summer periods in 2021 resulting in increase of temperature are known as other crucial factors resulting in lower production in comparison to the previous years. The above-mentioned factors made critical damages to saffron corms. 

Changes to Saffron global supply 

Considering the fact that Iran Zaferan produces more than 90% of total saffron supply, and with respect to the above-mentioned factors, any changes in Iran production volume can make dramatic effects on global markets.

Iran saffron production decrease has made dramatic changes to local and international saffron supply. Therefore, decrease of saffron production in Iran has led into increase of prices which results in decrease of local and international demand. Covid-19 Epidemy economic conditions in international scale and price inflation in local markets had negative effects in saffron market growth, this year.