Iranian saffron exports increased by 15%

Iranian saffron exports increased by 15%

Mohsen Ehtesham added: During this period, we faced a decrease in the base exports price of saffron, which was one of the factors reducing the price in the harvest season, the outbreak of Corona virus, which could not be managed due to lack of workers.

He stated about the reduction of saffron prices: When the National Saffron Council set an approved price for saffron in September of this year, even this product was bought by exporters at a higher price and Negin Super saffron reached 21 to 24 million Tomans per kilogram.

The head of Birjand Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, stating that the price of the product is related to supply and demand, added: Agricultural products have their own special conditions in the harvest and supply season, which means that supply and demand are high in the harvest season.

Emphasizing that the outbreak of Corona virus this year had an effect on reducing the price of saffron flowers, he said: Considering the development of saffron cultivation, in fact, we have not discussed mechanization in flower harvesting and separation.

Ehtesham continued: The issue of corona and the need to comply with health protocols caused even the set wages to be three times higher than normal years, but we faced a shortage or shortage of workers.

He said: Students of Sharif University of Technology have built a device to open the saffron flower, which we hope will not see an unfavorable situation this year with its development in the coming years, which requires planning.

The head of Birjand Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture stated: In this regard, the National Saffron Council in September last year drafted a plan to jump saffron production and exports and presented it to the authorities, which if implemented will solve many problems and dissatisfaction in the saffron field.

He said: On the other hand, many farmers, especially in Khorasan Razavi, regardless of the land management plan and above their capacity, cultivated saffron without any solution to harvest and open the flowers, so this year they faced problems.

The head of the National Saffron Council reminded: This year, one thousand billion tomans was to be allocated for the purchase of saffron in the three provinces of Khorasan Razavi, South Khorasan and North Khorasan in the form of facilities from three agricultural banks, Mellat and Exports Development with 15% interest and repayment period. One year to be paid but not realized.

Emphasizing that the job of the National Saffron Council is not to buy and sell saffron, he said: The National Saffron Council is an organization for policy-makers that presents plans and programs.

Ehtesham added: Now that the saffron harvest season is over, the market has stabilized and prices are improving, so saffron growers should not rush to sell the product.

He stated that the price of saffron has not been determined according to the law of supply and demand: while 95% of the world’s saffron production is monopolized by Iran, we do not determine its price and this problem should be counted and a solution should be considered to solve it.

The head of the Birjand Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture stated: In the position of this amount of saffron production, mechanisms should be implemented and we should determine the price of saffron.

He stressed that the Chinese who buy saffron in the market and export it in their own name should be stopped: The saffron export process should be managed so that we can determine the price of this product in the face of our high production.

Ehtesham stated: Ghaenat saffron and barberry of South Khorasan have been registered as a geographical indication, so the field of branding of the province’s products should be provided.

He said: Barberry orchards and suitable environments for drying saffron and barberry should be installed because the strategic products of the province are valuable, but we have not been able to introduce these products as we should.

The head of Birjand Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture stated: This year, a barberry consortium was formed in Birjand Chamber of Commerce, which should enter the field as soon as possible regarding dry and packaging of products so that this product is called South Khorasan and in food cartons and other Points to be sent.

Regarding the return of foreign exchange from exports, he said: One of the problems that the province’s traders have in dealing with Afghanistan is the inability to return foreign exchange from exports.

Ehtesham added: This issue has become a serious problem for many production units and exporters that we can not exchange money even through an exchange office in Afghanistan. We suggested that exchange offices be established even at the borders to exchange the exporting currency. Important to be provided.

Referring to this year’s slogan, he said: Economic activists, producers, entrepreneurs and exporters are supported and encouraged by the Supreme Leader every year.

The head of Birjand Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture continued: This year, which has been named as a leap in production, barriers to production should be removed and the business environment should be improved to achieve the slogan of the year. In some contexts, we have not been able to realize this slogan.

He said: Due to the restrictions we had in the discussion of cowardly sanctions against Iran, which is also against the principles of trade, we have not been able to develop exports so that we can achieve a leap in production.

Ehtesham said: On the other hand, the outbreak of coronavirus was also effective in this field and many industries could not mutate, but on the other hand, some industries also increased their production during this period.

He stressed that in the true sense of the word, we should be production-oriented: most of the employment in the province consists of small and medium units, so entrepreneurs and producers should be motivated in the first place.

The head of Birjand Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture said: Today we need to increase the motivation of producers and entrepreneurs, but with the obstacles that are created in the way of producers, those who enter the business and brokerage space benefit more from producers.

He said: Meetings to remove barriers to production and the government-private sector dialogue council are held regularly in the province and managers are helpers of producers, they do not underestimate what they can do, but the province’s authority is limited and we ask managers to have more authority To be.

Ehtesham stressed that the problems of producers should be addressed: South Khorasan, as a mine of science and knowledge and having a manpower, is a very rich province, but it is deprived in terms of infrastructure and facilities.