Challenging Harvest Drives Saffron Kilogram Price to 900 Thousand Lira
· NTV Ekonomi
The kilogram price of saffron, which requires intensive manual labor for harvesting and yields only one kilogram from 150,000 flowers, has risen up to 900,000 lira per kilogram depending on its quality.
Saffron, considered among the world's most valuable spices, is produced by manually collecting and drying the red stigmas from purple flowers. The plant, harvested in October and November, requires sunny weather conditions and suitable soil structure. Nurettin Tezel, who has been an herbalist in Izmit, Kocaeli for 29 years, stated that the production is extremely laborious:
The limited production volume and the intensive manual labor required push the market prices of the product to record levels. According to information shared by Nurettin Tezel, the gram price of saffron varies between 750 and 900 lira depending on its quality, while the kilogram price reaches levels of 750,000 to 900,000 lira. Herbalist Nurettin Tezel also touched upon the health benefits of saffron, which is widely used in the food, cosmetic, textile, and pharmaceutical industries, saying:
Attention is drawn to the increase in imitation products in the market due to its high economic value, and consumers need to distinguish the correct product. Herbalist Nurettin Tezel stated that the safflower plant is sold in the market under the name 'false saffron' and explained the test method for the real product:
| Value | Period | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| 150000 pieces | Harvest period | Saffron Flower Quantity |
| 1 kg | 1 decare | Dried Saffron Obtained |
| 750 TRY/gram | September 2026 | Saffron Gram Price (Lower Limit) |
| 900 TRY/gram | September 2026 | Saffron Gram Price (Upper Limit) |
| 750000 TRY/kg | September 2026 | Saffron Kilogram Price (Lower Limit) |
| 900000 TRY/kg | September 2026 | Saffron Kilogram Price (Upper Limit) |