Iran removes tariffs on saffron exports
Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber has issued a decree ordering the removal of tariffs on saffron exports.
The decree was addressed on Tuesday to the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade, and the Finance Ministry, ordering them to remove saffron from a list of export items subject to payment of a 0.5% virtual water tax, IRNA reported.
Saffron is one of the most important export products of Iran. The country aims to increase overseas shipments of the spice by easing restrictions on exporters.
Iran’s saffron export has experienced remarkable growth of $73 million, accounting for an overwhelming 55%, in the preceding Iranian calendar year which ended on March 20, 2023.
The cultivation of saffron, colloquially known as “the red gold” in Iran, dates back to several millennia ago, with a staggering 120,000 hectares out of the 18 million hectares of arable land being utilized for the cultivation of this coveted commodity.
The largest contributor to the production of saffron is Khorasan Razavi Province in the northeast, boasting an impressive 82,000 hectares. Other notable provinces with significant production include North Khorasan, South Khorasan, Isfahan, Kerman, and Yazd.
Iran is the world’s leading producer and exporter of saffron, thanks to favorable weather conditions and an abundance of foreign clientele. The latest customs statistics reveal that 207.4 tons of saffron, valued at $206 million, were exported from the country in the last Iranian calendar year.
This is while about 241.1 tons of saffron worth $132 million had been imported to the country a year earlier. The data highlights a remarkable $73 million growth in the value of saffron export, equivalent to an astounding 55%.
Iranian saffron export statistics demonstrate that the saffron industry has generated approximately $2.9 billion over the last 17 years. A total of 57 countries worldwide currently buy their saffron from Iran, which accounts for 95% of the world’s saffron.
Although primarily utilized for culinary purposes within Iran, European countries predominantly employ saffron in a variety of industries including pharmaceuticals. Iran’s reputation for producing the finest quality saffron on the planet attracts numerous global customers for this strategically significant
commodity.