Ali Shafai: Iranian producers and exporters get the least benefit from the world-wide trade in saffron valuable crops.
According to the world economist, nearly a decade ago non-oil exports, as the main focus of the Iranian market's economy, were put on the agenda, planned and invested to achieve this national goal.
In this case, while Iran as a producer of unique and unrivaled some products such as carpets, saffron and caviar in the world market is known and it has remarkable capacity to take advantage of this situation, but almost, these products are still traditionally exported out of Iranian market with the least value added as before.
Comparing the value and volume of export items such as carpets, saffron, pistachios, nuts, herbs, medicinal plants and caviar in the past that had been indicated to the fact which the rate of significant change has been reached, and if the dollar and Rial changes the prices; it was only due to the numbers rise in world prices.
However, this group of products has great potential for job creation, economic development and exchange technology for marketing in Iran. They are afforded with regard to the increase in production. These products out of the small capital outlay required for marketing in Iran; also can be built to processing industries, Processing and Packaging for increasing it in profits from their exports out of Iranian market.
But what has happened so far has been the disregard for these economic values, as well as Iranian producers and exporters of the significant trade in these products in the world markets and Iranian market to the minimum.
As for the product of saffron or as the promise of red gold, while Iranian market is known as the world's largest producer and accounts for about 95% of global production, unfortunately, Iran's share of the trade in this valuable product is very small, because the high volume Iran's batch of saffron is exported to a number of countries out of marketing in Iran and after processing and packaging and with the brand of these countries are exported to consumer markets with no name of Iranian market.
According to the Customs, the total export of saffron to 53 countries was 137 tons last year, worth more than $ 200 million, which is not much different from the export of saffron in 2012 from Iranian market, at least in the terms of weight.
According to the latest customs statistics, nearly 85% of all Iranian export of saffron goes to United Arab Emirates with 54 tones, Spain with 35 tones, and Saudi Arabia with 12 tones, Hong Kong 6 tones, and India 5 tones. These countries accounted for 40.9%, 26.9%, 9.1%, 4.7% and 3.9% of total export of our Iranian market's saffron, respectively.
It should be noted that the average price per gram of saffron exported to the United Arab Emirates was $ 1.5, to Spain $ 1.6, Saudi Arabia $ 1.2, Hong Kong $ 1.5, and India $ 1.6. Accordingly, the price of one gram of saffron for export is 4,500-5,000 Tomans. Export of saffron for $ 1.6 per gram to Spain, while the country sells bulk Iranian saffron at high prices after packaging. Exports of Iranian saffron flags due to lack of suitable brand for packaging which have caused the main profits of Iranian market's saffron in global market.
In this regard, Gholam Reza Miri, deputy chairman of the Saffron National Council, claimed that the definition of the budget line for saffron was a solution to the problems of export of this commodity. He added about the export price of saffron “now the price for export saffron is considered to be a busiest price and with the satisfaction of the farmers that if we increase this figure we will not be able to compete in the world.”
Referring to the fact that the price of saffron has grown ten percent since the beginning of this year, he said. This price has been determined by experts, producers and farmers, and the Organization for Development and Trade out of marketing in Iran.
Vice President of the Saffron National Council, pointing out that 92% of Iran's total export of saffron has been made available over Iran, other countries such as Afghanistan, China, Kashmir, Morocco, Spain, Italy, India, and even the United States began to cultivate saffron, and we are increasing We will give the market price to competitors who are waiting for the opportunity to reach near the high quality of Iranian market.
Weighing 5 percent of the world's retail market is unique after Iranian market, adding that only 7 percent of our saffron is packed in under 10 grams, and the rest is between 10 grams and 500 grams. The point to be made is that Spain, with 700 kilograms of saffron, annually produces about 50 tons of sugar, which supplies it with a saffron packing from Iranian market.
Vice President of the Saffron National Council stated: "In the European markets, saffron with the Spanish brand is better than those which come out with Iranian market’s saffron name, and it is difficult to change this habit and move that towards Iranian market, considering that we are a developing country."
Beginning of saffron trading on a commodity exchange can be the basis for branding for this product, so after increasing supply, domestic investors are encouraging the branding and export of this product through stock exchange, which is far from realizing this. Despite the fact that more than 90 percent of the world's saffron production belongs to Iran, Sadiz said, the saffron market is in the hands of European brands.