Why Saffron Is So Expensive

One gram of saffron can range form 4-15 US dollars. Have you ever wondered why this spice is so expensive? Keep reading to find out!

Saffron Flowers

The saffron flower is native to the lands around the Mediterranean Sea. They were first domeesticated as a spice around Iran and the islands of Greece. Saffron has spread quickly by traders and now the majority of saffron is grown in India, Iran, Spain, and Greece. The main reason that saffron is so expensive is due to the scarcity of the flower. The saffron threats are found in the center of the Crocus Sativus flower. Each saffron flower produces 3 stigmas which is the spice saffron. For one gram of saffron, you need around 400 flowers. Not only this, the flowers are very delicate. Each stigma has to be plucked by hand.

Growing Saffron

Saffron flowers are one of the most difficult flowers to grow. They are planted during the summer and are ready to harvest in autumn. They are very fragile. They can not be overwatered and are sensitive to too much sunlight or cold temperature. Next time you see saffron in a grocery store, be appreciative of all of the time and effort it took to make the spice.

cites:

Basker, Dov, and Moshe Negbi. "Uses of saffron." Economic botany 37.2 (1983): 228-236.

Winterhalter, Peter, and Markus Straubinger. "Saffron—renewed interest in an ancient spice." Food Reviews International 16.1 (2000): 39-59.

Melnyk, John P., Sunan Wang, and Massimo F. Marcone. "Chemical and biological properties of the world's most expensive spice: Saffron." Food research international 43.8 (2010): 1981-1989.

Kafi, Muhammad, et al. "An expensive spice saffron (Crocus sativus L.): a case study from Kashmir, Iran, and Turkey." Global perspectives on underutilized crops. Springer, Cham, 2018. 109-149.