Mashhad saffron exports to Iran were minimized

Mashhad saffron exports to Iran were minimized

Gholamreza Miri added: The forced closure due to the outbreak of corona has caused serious problems for the packaging, export and retail units of saffron, so that the export of this product in March of last year and April of this year decreased sharply and the activity of units reached a minimum. .

He continued: The decrease in the activity of saffron packaging and export units started on March 13 last year and this situation has continued until now because there is no demand for saffron from other countries due to the spread of corona and this is under the saffron packaging, distribution and export sectors. Impressed.

The head of the Mashhad Saffron Traders’ Union said: Saffron consumption increases during Nowruz and Ramadan, but the outbreak of the corona destroyed this golden opportunity for proper saffron sales and domestic and foreign sales, especially in Arabic-speaking countries, were minimized.

He added: Saffron retail units in Mashhad, which have a direct supply of this product, were also forced to close from March 16 last year to the beginning of May and had no sales.

Miri continued: in the field of foreign trade, the conditions of saffron packaging and export units will not change until the flights are resumed and a request is made from other countries for Iranian saffron.

He said: In the field of domestic trade, since Mashhad is a city of pilgrimage – tourism, as long as the holy shrine of Razavi and hotels are closed, no pilgrims or tourists will come to Mashhad and the saffron market will be closed.

The head of the Mashhad Saffron Traders’ Union added: Even now, those who had made a general purchase of saffron supply units from February to March 11 of last year, could not consume their products or give them to the customer, and their purchase is left to them.

He continued: The losses of saffron export and packaging sectors were much more than retailers because each packaging or export unit has between 50 and 400 active workers, in the days when these units had to be closed, although they did not have sales, but salaries And paid their employees’ benefits and made no force adjustments.

Miri said: This year, while the salaries and benefits of workers and employees have increased by 31% and saffron packaging and export units have accepted and paid these costs.

He added: Forces as a contractor outside the saffron export and packaging complexes cooperate with this class, which in the days of the corona outbreak, sellers and producers did not cut ties with these contractors and supported them in some way, so this part of the costs Can also be added to the total unit costs during the corona.

The head of the Mashhad Saffron Traders’ Union pointed to the elimination of foreign exchange returns from exports in the 1399 budget and stated: The government is requested to exempt saffron packaging and export units from foreign exchange returns from their exports in 1398, as well as discounts on share insurance. An employer should be considered for these units.

He said tax and insurance exemptions this year are also necessary for retail units that have a direct supply of saffron and were forced to close for two months.

Miri added: the number of saffron packaging and export units in Mashhad and its industrial town is 60 units and the number of retail units licensed by this union is 500 units.

According to the statistics announced last year, 500 tons of saffron were produced and 251 tons of this product were exported from Iran.