HOW SAFFRON BECOMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN GOLD?
Saffron is undoubtedly the most expensive spice globally, but in recent years a gram of this rare substance has become even more expensive than a gram of gold.
Depending on the quality of the saffron, the price per half a kilogram can vary between $ 5,000 and $ 10,000 in stores, but the best types of saffron were sold at the end of last year in the UK for 75 pounds per gram, the equivalent of about 400 of lei. For comparison, a gram of gold cost in the same period the equivalent of about 150 lei. But what is saffron used for?
How does saffron become more expensive than gold?
Consumption saffron is harvested from the top of the stigmas of the saffron flower Crocus sativus. Each saffron flower has three stigmas, and each stigma must be picked by hand to keep its shape.
The stigma is the upper part of the pistil, on which the pollen is caught and sprouted. It seems simple, but the problem is that saffron blooms only two weeks a year, and the stigmas are so sensitive that the flowers must be picked early in the morning so that they are not affected by wind or sun.
Then follows a laborious process of removing the stigmas, drying them, a procedure that loses about 80% of the substance’s initial weight. It takes about 70,000 saffron threads, or 210,000 stigmas, to get almost half a kilogram of saffron.
Where does the best type of saffron come from?
Originally from Southwest Asia, saffron was grown in Europe for the first time in Greece, then all over the world, from Japan, India, and Morocco to Turkey, Pennsylvania, or Iran. Saffron grows best in drained and warm soils, such as those around the Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East, and in one of the most famous locations, La Mancha, in Spain.
At one time, Spain produced 70% of the harvest. World of saffron, but now cultivates only 5%, according to Born, quoted by The Daily Beast. The explanation for the question: what is saffron used for? It comes from the fact that Spain has chosen a different path of development, focusing on new industries, to the detriment of agriculture.
To make a profitable business with saffron, cheap labor is needed, and Spain’s economic development has pushed wages up. Spain’s place in world saffron production has been taken by Iran, which has become the main supplier of the substance in the Iberian Peninsula. In its best years, Iran produces between 120 and 200 tons of saffron with the best quality saffron threads.
However, if the weather is not favorable, for example, in Iran in 2009, the harvest can be much lower, somewhere between 30 and 80 tons, leading to a major increase in saffron.
What is saffron used for?
Traditionally, saffron has two main uses: spice for food and pigment for dyeing textiles. There are as many recipes for food as there are countries in the world, and the method of preparation depends on the area.
Saffron also helps in glowing skin. More recent studies have shown that saffron threads also contain pigments that help fight cancer and help the immune system. However, an overdose of saffron can be fatal to the human body.
Conclusion
Upgrade the taste of your meal with saffron! Saffron is quite versatile and is used around the world for different flavoring types of dishes. It is known primarily as a key ingredient of the delicious risotto Milanese. Still, it uses this spice in Italy to flavor other types of rice, pasta, or arancini, or main courses of meat or fish. We must pay particular attention to the quality of the saffron we buy, which is not always easy to evaluate.
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Title: HOW SAFFRON BECOMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN GOLD?
Des: Depending on the quality of the saffron, the price per half a kilogram can vary between $ 5,000 and $ 10,000 in stores, but the best types of saffron were sold at the end of last year in the UK for 75 pounds per gram, the equivalent of about 400 of lei.
