Sunday, March 19, 2017

saffron on a new silk road?

Saffron -- "the world's most valuable spice" -- has advantages as "a crop harvested in the late fall, when other crops have died off, that tolerates extreme climates and yields an average of $19 per gram." 
"UVM [University of Vermont] researchers said the yields amounted to $4.03 a square foot, compared to $3.51 a square foot for tomatoes, and $1.81 a square foot for winter leafy greens. They estimate an acre of saffron grown in high tunnelscould bring in $100,000 a season."

Saffron fields in Iran,
 which produces more 
than 80 percent of 
the 250 tons produced
 worldwide each year.
  Credit Courtesy of David Thiercelin
New York Times
 

1 comment: