SAFFRON : Value Analysis

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Saffron crocus grows to 2030 cm (812 in) and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are the distal end of a carpel. Together with the styles, or stalks that connect the stigmas to their host plant, the dried stigmas are used mainly in various cuisines as a seasoning and colouring agent. Saffron, long among the world's most costly spices by weight, is native to Greece or Southwest Asia and was first cultivated in Greece. As a genetically monomorphic clone, it was slowly propagated throughout much of Eurasia and was later brought to parts of North AfricaAmerica, and Oceania. Iran, the world's leading producer, the erstwhile and northeasterly Khorasan Province, which in 2004 was divided in three, grows 95 percent of Iranian saffron: the hinterlands of Birjand, Ghayen, Ferdows in South Khorasan Province, along with areas in Razavi Khorasan Province, are its key cropping areas. Afghanistan has resumed cultivation in recent years; in restive Kashmir it has waned. Despite numerous cultivation efforts in such countries as Austria, England, and Switzerland, only select locales continue the harvest in northern and central Europe. Among these is the small Swiss village of Mund, in the Valais canton, whose annual saffron output amounts to several kilograms. Micro scale cultivation occurs in Tasmania, China, Egypt, France, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Turkey, California, and Central Africa. Apart from its culinary and cosmetics uses saffron has potentially benefical medical uses an anodyne, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, and sedative. The plant has been used as a folk remedy against scarlet fever, smallpox, colds, insomnia, asthma, tumors, and cancer and its colouring effect has been found in cave artwork from prehistoric communites dating back 50,000 years. Until relatively recently saffron was widely used as a dye in fabrics and wool for carpet weaving. As a spice saffron has been traded for about 5,000 years (ICARDA 2007). Today saffron is the most expensive spice and has been compared to gold and opium for its value by weight. Owing to incredible utilization of saffron, the world production is not sufficient enough to meet the growing global demand because most of the European countries have abandoned the saffron

cultivation due to high cost of production and urbanization of rural areas. However, in India there is a tremendous human resource base as such saffron industry has an ample scope to expand provided saffron in India is cultivated on scientific lines and replantation in the traditional & non-traditional areas is taken up. Keeping in view a strong association of more than 95,000 farm families with this crop directly or indirectly in Iran & India efforts are to be made to safeguard the interests of growers by making the industry more profit oriented. Lack of availability of high yielding saffron cultivars, high input cost due to non availability of planting material, lack of mechanization, dry land farming, spreading inoculums of saffron corm rot, post harvest losses and poor market due to involvement of agents and middlemen are the major causes of saffron decline. The possibility of improving yield per se through genetic manipulation have been showing encouraging results in recent years. However, sustained efforts are required towards genetic improvement of saffron to develop high yielding varieties through mutual exchange of germplasm base across saffron growing countries of the world. In order to increase the productivity of these soils, there is a need to adopt the integrated nutrient supply and management (INSAM) practices. Introduction of post harvest technology for flower picking, separation of pistil and quick reduction in moisture have potential to bring about improvement over strenuous traditional practices and returns to the growers from the superior quality product. Lack of high yielding cultivars adopted to diverse growing conditions; large area under rain fed cultivation; poor plant stand, moisture stress at terminal growth stage; inadequate seed replacement rate, poor crop management; resource poor farmers; Low risk bearing capacity; inadequate input and technical support; poor infrastructure and institutional support; inefficient technology delivery system; limited policy directives and incentives and crop damage due to menace of corm rot are the important production constraints which need to be taken care off. To boost the saffron industry and to revive its cultivation in traditional saffron growing countries of the world the best resource available is to improve the productivity level of this crop so as to make it more cost effective. Vertical saffron expansion is possible through the development of high input responsive cultivars with multiple resistance against corm rot and drought, whereas, for horizontal expansion there is an immediate need of intensive cropping systems and extension of saffron in non-traditional areas as a substitute for low value crops.