The great value of this red gold is so much that 450 grams of it is equivalent to 5000 dollars, while vanilla, which is in the second place after saffron, is equivalent to 600 dollars per 450 grams. This high difference indicates the high worth of this plant.
What is one of the reasons for the high price of saffron?
In general, saffron cultivation is a difficult and complicated task, according to one of the experts of saffron cultivation, it is stated that:
To harvest saffron, we need to separate the stigma from the flower and dry it (saffron is basically the dry stigma of the saffron flower), that’s why it needs a lot of Manual work.
To separate the stigma from the flower, manual work is needed so that the saffron flower is not damaged, as a result, we need a lot of manpower to do this work, which increases the overall price of saffron.
As a result, among the reasons that make saffron expensive is the need for workers and manual labor.
The effect of cultivation on saffron price
Every 4.0 hectares (1 acre), an average of 1.8 kg of saffron can be harvested, which is a very small amount. 453 grams can be obtained with every 170,000 saffron flowers. It takes about 6 weeks for purple saffron flowers to bloom. It should be noted that flowers should be cultivated at a certain time of the day.
Natural factors such as air humidity and sunlight can potentially affect the quality of saffron, for example sunlight breaks down the chemical structure of saffron.
The best time to collect saffron flowers is in the early morning, about 90% of the world’s saffron is cultivated in Iran, and this indicator shows the strong need for human resources to do this work.
As a result, a lot of cultivated land is needed to plant saffron, as well as a lot of labor for its cultivation, all these factors cause the price of this plant to be this high.
The chemical structure of saffron and its effect on its price
Saffron consists of three main chemical compounds: picrocrocin, Crocin, and Safranal, and these three compounds are the main factors behind the aroma, color, and special taste of saffron. That is, basically, when people start talking about the quality of saffron, from a technical point of view, they are talking about these compounds.
Many people tried to find a substitute for this plant, but they failed to create its unique aroma and flavor. In fact, saffron is a powerful drug of happiness. The research conducted on this plant has shown that it can treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, depression and premenstrual syndrome. you visit our other post to know more about saffron benefits in here.
These unique and powerful compounds and properties are another reason why this red gold is so expensive.
