Report on Measures Taken in Organizing the National Saffron Day Festival
According to the Public Relations Office of the Khorasan Razavi Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, quoted on Ali Shariati Moghadam’s personal information portal, Iran’s position in the global saffron market is at risk, as some countries no longer recognize saffron as a strategic product of Iran. Therefore, the primary mission of the Permanent Secretariat of the National Saffron Festival must be to achieve unity and commitment toward a series of coordinated actions aimed at improving product quality and competitiveness.
Organization and Achievements of the First Festival
Ali Kabir, Secretary‑General of the Khorasan Razavi Chamber of Commerce, reported that to hold the First National Saffron Day Festival, a total of ten coordination and executive committee meetings and over one hundred administrative correspondences with executive bodies were conducted.
As outcomes of these efforts, the following initiatives took place:
- Photo exhibition at the Great Khorasan Museum
- Saffron products fair and presentation of 21 top brands in Kuhsangi Park
- Promotional and educational caravans dispatched to four counties
- Traditional and cultural celebrations across various towns
- A main closing ceremony in Mashhad, where the final festival declaration was publicly read
Kabir also referred to the message from the President of Iran addressed to the festival, which emphasized the preservation of saffron’s authenticity and heritage. He noted that saffron remains the most valuable agricultural commodity in Khorasan Razavi, and that enhancing exports and economic impact depends on dedicated national‑level support.
Key Clauses of the Festival Declaration
Samira Sabzevari, Head of the Chamber’s Agriculture Office, elaborated on the six clauses of the National Saffron Day declaration, highlighting both economic challenges and proposed reforms, including:
- Establishment of an international saffron exchange market to strengthen local economies and attract both domestic and foreign investment
- Delegation of decision‑making authority regarding the saffron value chain from national to provincial levels
- Budget allocation for a structured educational and promotional plan for saffron
- Earmarking 0.5 percent of saffron export value for trade development
- Creation of a national saffron database and implementation of product traceability and certification systems
- Comprehensive support for research and commercialization, especially through knowledge‑based companies aimed at enhancing productivity in the saffron value chain
- Exchange‑rate unification and reduction of India’s preferential import tariff for saffron
Advances in Agriculture and Standardization
Gholamreza Ghanbari, Director‑General of the Khorasan Razavi Agricultural Jihad Organization, emphasized considering production costs and product health as vital factors in saffron farming. He announced the formation of a Provincial Saffron Task Desk, enabling close collaboration among leading farmers to raise quality standards.
He further stated that the national budget for the current year included a dedicated line for saffron, which supports the procurement of planting, cultivation, and harvesting machinery. The effort to register and trace saffron production (شناسنامهدار کردن زعفران) should reach completion by year‑end. For this purpose, specialized saffron cooperatives are being formed—an effort initiated last year—to ensure that all saffron production in the province will be organized under these cooperatives.
Original Title: Report on Measures Taken in Organizing the National Saffron Day Festival
Source: Khorasan Razavi Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture
Publication Date: November 4, 2024 (14 Aban 1403)
Original Link: https://news.mccima.com/38587/
