Kuwait: Growing saffron spice is pricy
Posted by Zawya
KUNA (Kuwait News Agency)
03 August 2010


KUWAIT -- Precious saffron plants, with high nutritional value, distinguished crimson color, aroma and taste, widely used in Arabian coffee recipes in the Gulf region as a sign of hospitality, are costly to grow.

Despite the fact that there have been several attempts to grow saffron crocus in the Gulf to help lower the high cost of that spice; studies showed that it is rather pricy to grow this crop especially in areas such as that of the Gulf zone, Supervisor of the agricultural committee at the Gulf forum Mamdouh Al-Anzi told KUNA. Studies revealed that saffron, originally planted in Iran, Spain and Kashmir, is too costly to grow, he said, and explained that in order to get 500 grams of saffron, around 70,000 flowers should be planted.

Saffron becomes lighter when dried. An amount of 25 kilograms turn into five grams when dried, he said.

Some sellers deceive customers through mixing saffron with herbs that resemble saffron in color and easily dissolved in water, such as safflower.

The cost relies however on the redness of saffron threads; the more red they are the more expensive they get, he said, adding that factors such as moist, smell, and volume were taken into account.

Al-Anzi noted the nutritional value and the medical uses of saffron as researchers found that it helped in the treatment and prevention of cancer as it contained cancer-countering substances such as carotenoid.

By Abdullah Al-Harbi

© KUNA (Kuwait News Agency) 2010

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