Afghan Saffron Exports to Global Markets Increase

The Afghanistan Saffron Consortium says saffron exports have increased due to improved quality and standardized packaging.

According to the consortium, Afghan saffron is now being exported directly to international markets, including the United States, Europe, China and several Arab countries.

Abdul Khaliq Khodadadi, head of the Afghanistan Saffron Consortium, said: “We have seen good progress in exports, and many global markets are demanding Afghan saffron. Afghan saffron is of high quality, meets international standards and is always supplied to customers after laboratory testing.”

Afghan saffron is considered among the finest and highest-quality saffron products in the world.

Mohammad Yousuf Amin, executive director of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said saffron exports reached about 4.5 million U.S. dollars during the first three months of the year.

“During this period, 2,900 kilograms of saffron were exported to foreign markets,” he said.

Despite the increase in exports, transferring export revenues to Afghanistan remains a major challenge for saffron-exporting companies.

Abdul Razzaq Pashtun Zarghoni, head of foreign relations at the Afghanistan Saffron Association, said: “Money earned from saffron sales in foreign markets is transferred to Afghanistan with great difficulty. Payments cannot be sent directly and must pass through foreign bank accounts. The funds are often subject to reviews, and it can take up to two months for the money to reach its owner.”

According to the Afghanistan Saffron Association, more than 40 tons of saffron have been harvested in the country this year.

Association officials say saffron is cultivated on 12,000 hectares of land across Afghanistan, providing employment to more than 80,000 people involved in its cultivation and harvesting.