Saffron – Why is it so expensive?
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Saffron is expensive for two reasons
1. The first is the intensive work we have to do to collect it and
2. The second why saffron is expensive, it is because it is a rare plant
Each flower of the saffron plant has 3 pistils (or threads). Each flower is collected by hand and at the same time arranged by hand. Therefore, it is a work which has a process all by hand and no processing method with machines is used.
To produce one kilogram (1kg) of saffron it is necessary to use 150,000 flowers. Numerous attempts to mechanize harvesting have not been successful.
Saffron production is declining in many parts of the world. For example, in Indian Kashmir, the saffron crop has been decimated by poor water management and the loss of prime growing land.
Iran is the largest producer of saffron globally. However, the industry is rife with counterfeiting. A report in 2012 showed that 99% of Spanish saffron it is imported low quality Iranian saffron, repackaged as Premium Spanish Saffron and sold at a premium price.
If you are buying saffron from Spain, only buy saffron from the La Mancha area.
The quality of saffron varies, most people do not recognize it. ISO 3632 is the high quality saffron of an international standard.
Legitimate growers will test against this standard as they are independent of any regulatory authority (Iran and Spain have their own internal Saffron standards).
If the saffron you buy is cheap, it will be because the quality is poor, it is old, or that is no saffron at all.
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