“Despite the growth of exports in terms of weight and the increase in the price of this product in the country and international markets, we have observed a 15.7% decrease in the value of this product,” Roohollah Latifi said on Saturday.

The export of saffron with packaging of less than 30 grams witnessed good growth, which accounted for 22% of the exported saffron in the Iranian calendar year 1402, while in 1401, this amount was about 15.5%, he added.

The UAE is the first destination with the purchase of 67,120 kg of saffron, followed by China with the purchase of 49,200 kg, Spain with 43,820 kg, and Afghanistan with 21,716 kg and a growth of 198 percent, Qatar with 5,774 kg, Italy with 5,604 kg, Kuwait with 3,301 kg, Oman with 2,993 kg, Bahrain with 2,683 kg, and France with 2,433 kg, he noted.

Saffron is one of the most important exported products of Iran. The country aims to increase overseas shipments of the spice by easing restrictions on exporters. 

SD/IRN