Economic analysis of saffron production

Shahnoushi, N; Abolhassani, Leili; Kavakebi, Vida; Reed, Michael R.; Saghaian, Sayed H.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-818638-1.00021-6

Cited by 21 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Saffron is currently cultivated in various climatic conditions, such as in arid countries in southern Europe, North Africa, Middle East, and Central Asia, which are areas with low precipitation, hot summers, and cold winters [3]. Iran, India, Greece, Afghanistan, Morocco, Spain, Italy, China, and Azerbaijan are the major saffron producing countries [4]. Moreover, the acreage of cultivated saffron is increasing in some countries, such as Turkey, Pakistan, France, and the United States [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, with a total export value for saffron amounting to USD 351 million, Iran 2 of 19 accounted for 71.3% of the world's total saffron export value in 2018 [8]. Saffron production in Iran is an old tradition [9], and it is a strategic product in the two neighbouring provinces of southern Khorasan and Khorasan Razavi, which are both located in northeast Iran [4,10]. Saffron's unique growing characteristics, such as its low water requirements, its adaptation to Iran's climate, and that it does not require heavy or complex machinery to grow, has made Iran the main saffron producer worldwide.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Influence of Dense Planting System on the Technical Efficiency of Saffron Production and Land Use Sustainability: Empirical Evidence from Gonabad County, Iran

et al. 2022

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The cultivation of saffron, which is one of the most expensive agricultural products in the world, is the main source of livelihood and economic wellbeing for the rural communities of Gonabad county in the eastern part of Iran. Nevertheless, farm monitoring in the region has shown that many saffron growers apply a high-density planting system for more profit. This practice results in the loss of land productivity after a six-year production cycle. As a consequence, farmers abandon the cultivated lands and move to plant saffron in available virgin lands. The purpose of this study is to analyse the technical efficiency of saffron farms and its determinants with an emphasis on the role of planting density. A survey was conducted in 2019, and a cross-sectional random sampling technique was used to select 110 saffron growers. We first assessed the technical efficiency of farms using a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with input orientation. In the next step, efficiency scores were regressed on explanatory variables using OLS and bootstrapped truncated regression to identify efficiency related factors. We find that planting density negatively influenced technical efficiency, suggesting that it is necessary for saffron growers to be educated on the negative impacts of the dense planting system.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Influence of Dense Planting System on the Technical Efficiency of Saffron Production and Land Use Sustainability: Empirical Evidence from Gonabad County, Iran

et al. 2022

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“…The major saffron growing regions of the world include Iran, Azerbaijan, Spain, Italy, India (Kashmir), Greece, and Turkey. The total world saffron production was estimated at 378.33 tons in 2016 [ 2 ], of which about 90% is produced in Iran whereas the rest of the production is located in India (Kashmir), Greece, Afghanistan, Spain and Italy [ 2 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding saffron biology using omics- and bioinformatics tools: stepping towards a better Crocus phenome

2022

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Saffron is a unique plant in many aspects, and its cellular processes are regulated at multiple levels. The genetic makeup in the form of eight chromosome triplets (2n = 3x = 24) with a haploid genetic content (genome size) of 3.45 Gbp is decoded into different types of RNA by transcription. The RNA then translates into peptides and functional proteins, sometimes involving post-translational modifications too. The interactions of the genome, transcriptome, proteome and other regulatory molecules ultimately result in the complex set of primary and secondary metabolites of saffron metabolome. These complex interactions manifest in the form of a set of traits ‘phenome’ peculiar to saffron. The phenome responds to the environmental changes occurring in and around saffron and modify its response in respect of growth, development, disease response, stigma quality, apocarotenoid biosynthesis, and other processes. Understanding these complex relations between different yet interconnected biological activities is quite challenging in saffron where classical genetics has a very limited role owing to its sterility, and the absence of a whole-genome sequence. Omics-based technologies are immensely helpful in overcoming these limitations and developing a better understanding of saffron biology. In addition to creating a comprehensive picture of the molecular mechanisms involved in apocarotenoid synthesis, stigma biogenesis, corm activity, and flower development, omics-technologies will ultimately lead to the engineering of saffron plants with improved phenome.

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“…Iran is currently the main producer, with approximately 90% of world production, which was estimated at 418 tons in 2020 [ 2 ]. The other main producers are India, Greece, Afghanistan, Morocco, Spain, Italy, and China [ 3 ]. Spain is the first saffron importer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Authentication of Iranian Saffron (Crocus sativus) Using Stable Isotopes δ13C and δ2H and Metabolites Quantification

Moras¹,

Pouchieu²,

Gaudout³

et al. 2022

Molecules

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Saffron is a very high value-added ingredient used in the food supplement market and contains a high level of safranal. Adding synthetic safranal to saffron, which is significantly cheaper, and falsifying the origin of saffron may represent recurrent fraud. Saffron from different countries was analyzed to determine the stable isotope ratios δ13C and δ2H from safranal by gas chromatography coupled with isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C/P-IRMS) and the concentration of saffron metabolites with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (UHPLC-DAD). The isotopic analysis highlighted a higher ratio of δ2H in synthetic safranal than in natural safranal; the mean values were 36‰ (+/− 40) and −210‰ (+/− 35), respectively. The δ13C between Iranian, Spanish and other saffron was significantly different and represents median values of −28.62‰, −30.12‰ and −30.70‰, respectively. Moreover, linear and quadratic discriminant analyses (LDA and QDA) were computed using the two isotope ratios of safranal and the saffron metabolites. A first QDA showed that trans-crocetin and the δ13C of safranal, picrocrocin, and crocin C3 concentrations clearly differentiated Iranian saffron from other origins. A second model identified δ13C, trans-crocetin, crocin C2, crocin C3, and picrocrocin as good predictors to discriminate saffron samples from Iran, Spain, or other origins, with a total ability score classification matrix of 100% and a prediction matrix of 82.5%. This combined approach may be a useful tool to authenticate the origin of unknown saffron.

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Economic analysis of saffron production

Cited by 21 publications

References 30 publications

The Influence of Dense Planting System on the Technical Efficiency of Saffron Production and Land Use Sustainability: Empirical Evidence from Gonabad County, Iran

The Influence of Dense Planting System on the Technical Efficiency of Saffron Production and Land Use Sustainability: Empirical Evidence from Gonabad County, Iran

Understanding saffron biology using omics- and bioinformatics tools: stepping towards a better Crocus phenome

Authentication of Iranian Saffron (Crocus sativus) Using Stable Isotopes δ13C and δ2H and Metabolites Quantification

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