Iranian saffron prices dropped

The Iranian saffron prices on this page are a historical snapshot from the 2017 harvest. They are quoted in tomans per kilogram and must not be used as today’s saffron rate in Iran.

Iranian saffron prices dropped by about 500,000 tomans per kilogram over ten days as the main harvest approached, according to a report quoting Ali Hosseini of Iran’s National Saffron Council. The reported market range was then 4.5 million to 5.5 million tomans per kilogram.

The older English version alternated incorrectly between “rubles,” “tons” and tomans when describing the same 500,000-unit movement. In context, the speaker was discussing a price change in tomans per kilogram, not Russian currency or a quantity of saffron.

The 2017 Iranian saffron price figures

Hosseini said the early harvest had begun around October 20 and formal harvesting around October 25. He expected activity to reach its peak between November 5 and November 15. With more saffron entering the market, he described prices as moving toward a more balanced level.

The reported figures were:

• a fall of about 500,000 tomans per kilogram over the preceding ten days;
• a prevailing range of about 4.5 million to 5.5 million tomans per kilogram; and
• an expectation that the range might move toward 4 million to 5 million tomans as the harvest progressed.

That last range was a forecast, not a confirmed closing price. The article did not state a grade, transaction venue, wholesale lot size or exact observation date for every quotation. Those details can materially change what “Iranian saffron price” means.

Why prices often move as harvest volume arrives

At the beginning of a harvest, relatively little new-season saffron may have reached buyers. As picking and drying accelerate, more lots become available. That shift can change negotiations between growers, traders and packers, particularly when expectations about the crop have already influenced the market.

Hosseini connected the decline with the approach of peak harvest and called for the market to be managed so producers were not harmed. He also argued that a reasonable price needed to reflect production and available markets. The comments show the tension between affordable trading and a return that supports growers.

Production expectations were still uncertain

The report cited Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture as recording 350 tonnes of saffron production in the previous year. Hosseini expected the new crop might be larger because cultivation area had expanded and rainfall had been favourable.

He stopped short of declaring a final figure. Harvest had only begun, and an event such as frost could still affect production. That caution is important: acreage and promising weather do not establish how much dried saffron will ultimately be prepared and sold.

What changes the cost of saffron in Iran

A single historical number cannot answer every search for the cost of saffron in Iran. Prices can differ because of:

• the date and stage of the harvest season;
• thread grade, moisture, purity and laboratory results;
• whether the quotation is farm-gate, wholesale, export or retail;
• lot size and packaging;
• currency and the unit used in the quotation; and
• current supply, buyer demand and export conditions.

“Irani saffron price,” “saffron Iran price” and “saffron rate in Iran” can therefore point to very different transactions. A useful current quote should always include its date, currency, weight, grade and sales level. Comparing a retail gram pack with a bulk kilogram price will produce a misleading result even if both numbers are accurate.

How to read this price report today

The article is valuable as a record of how one harvest-period market was described in 2017. It preserves the 500,000-toman decline, the 4.5-to-5.5-million range, the 4-to-5-million forecast, the October and November harvest dates, and the 350-tonne reference.

It does not provide today’s Iranian saffron price. For a present purchase, request a dated quotation that identifies the saffron grade, weight, currency, packaging, delivery terms and whether tax or transport is included. That is the only fair way to compare offers.

Historical source: Mehr/Tabnak report cited by the archived post.