Saffron, the world’s most expensive spice

KARABUK

With Safranbolu's saffron, a spice known to have several health benefits and other uses, Türkiye has become the first country in Europe to have saffron registered by the EU and the second country in the world to have spices registered by the EU.

Identified with the northern province of Karabük's Safranbolu district and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, saffron is the most expensive spice in the world as it requires 510,000 saffron flower stigmas to produce just a kilogram of the spice.

Saffron is used in many areas, such as in paint, food, cosmetics and food, and has phenomenal health benefits, as it facilitates cell renewal, strengthens memory, overcomes asthma and respiratory diseases and helps in digestion and gum strengthening. The plant is planted in August and harvested in October-November when it reaches 15-30 centimeters in length.

Saffron, which has a 3,500-year history in Safranbolu, was traded in Western Anatolia during the Byzantine period and maintained its importance during the Ottoman period. It holds the title of "national plant" and its geographical indication has been registered by the European Union Commission.

With Safranbolu Saffron, Türkiye has become the first country in Europe to have saffron registered by the EU and the second country in the world to have spices registered by the EU after China.

Some 510,000 flower stigmas need to be hand-picked to obtain 1 kilogram of saffron, 1 gram of which is sold for 250 Turkish Liras.

Sharing insights into saffron plantation and harvesting, producer İsmail Yılmaz stated: “The best time to plant saffron is between Aug. 15 and 30. We plant approximately 200 kilograms of saffron onions per decare of land. We can obtain 1 kilogram of saffron from an area of 8 decares in the first planting because it gives too little product. We can obtain 1 kilogram of saffron from four decares of land in the second year, and from one decare of land in the third year. Approximately 1 kilogram of saffron is obtained from 170,000 flowers, but there are three saffron threads in each flower. We need to multiply this by three. In this way, we will obtain approximately 510,000 red stigmas.”

Speaking about the benefits and usage areas of saffron, Yılmaz said, “The most important feature of saffron is that it is a cell regenerator. It is calming, soothing and good for insomnia. It accelerates metabolism and increases body resistance. It is widely used in cancer. It is also used in Alzheimer's disease. It is used for yellow spots in the eyes and as an antidepressant. In addition, it is used in meals for its healing purposes rather than its taste.”

Yılmaz said that the feature that distinguishes Safranbolu saffron from other varieties is the higher amount of active ingredients in it.

"Probably due to the climate, substances in saffron produced in Safranbolu are higher than those produced in other regions," he added.