Italian OPERA SRL intends to create saffron plantations in Jizzakh

Italian company OPERA SRL plans to create saffron plantations in Bakhmal district of Jizzakh region. This was stated by the president of the company Paolo de Angelis A., during a meeting with chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan.

The initial cost of the project, offered by the Italian entrepreneur, is $ 20 million and is intended to grow saffron on 400 hectares.

Crocus varieties of saffron bouquets belong to Crocus sativus Type L.

There are about 85 species of Crocus in the world, but Crocus sativus L is grown in India, Greece, Spain, Italy, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, as well as 90% in Iran.

Saffron is now popular in the pharmaceutical and perfumery industries. The price of 1 kg of saffron in the international market ranges from 8,000 to 30,000 euros. Of course, it depends on the quality, the press service of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan informs.

So why Saffron is considered as the most expensive on earth? The main reason is that the production is extremely labor-intensive. Each flower has 3 stamens (or threads), each flower is picked by hand, and each flower is de-threaded by hand and several attempts to mechanize harvesting have not been successful. It takes about 150,000 flowers to produce a kilo of Saffron. Moreover, Saffron is now considered a rare plant and there is a decline in production in many countries for instance in Kashmir and India. Therefore, Saffron Plantation in Uzbekistan could play an important role in the international market of Saffron and this can definitely bring advantages for Uzbekistan too.