I’m sure you knew that saffron is considered the most expensive herb in the world. However, did you know the reason behind it? Here I tell you all about it.
Due to it’s laborious production process and it’s shortage compared to other herbs and spices, there are several reasons why saffron is so expensive:
First, its cultivation method: Saffron is grown from the stigmas of the Crocus sativus flower, a plant that requires specific growing conditions such as a Mediterranean climate and well-drained soils. The plant only blooms once a year, and the stigmas must be hand-harvested carefully to avoid damaging the flower. This labor-intensive process requires a significant amount of manual labor, which increases production costs.
Second, its quantity of stigmas per flower: Each saffron flower produces only three stigmas, which are the dark red or orange threads used as a spice. To obtain one kilogram of saffron, around 150,000 saffron flowers and many hours of manual labor are needed to harvest the stigmas from each flower.
Third, its laborious drying process: After harvesting, saffron stigmas must be carefully dried to preserve their flavor and aroma. This drying process is delicate and requires precise control of temperature and humidity, which also increases production costs.
Fourth, its high demand and limited supply: Saffron is a highly valued spice in cooking due to its distinctive flavor and use in traditional dishes in many cultures. However, the supply of saffron is limited due to the factors mentioned above, resulting in demand exceeding supply and driving up its price in the market.
And last but not least, its quality and purity: High-quality saffron must have specific characteristics such as intense red or orange color, strong aroma, and bitter-sweet taste. Verification and assurance of saffron quality and purity also increase production costs and, therefore, its price.
In summary, the combination of its labor-intensive production process, scarcity, high demand, limited supply, and the need to ensure its quality and purity are some of the main reasons why saffron is considered the most expensive herb in the world.