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| Morocco: Taliouine Village, top producer of Saffron, Most Expensive Spice in the World |
 Washington -01/25/10- Morocco Board News- Taliouine village, near the city of Taroudant, in the southern Souss Region of Morocco, is known for its large production of Crocus sativus, commonly known as saffron. Other villages in the area also produce the coveted spice but the village of Taliouine has the largest market share of saffron production. According to the Moroccan Regional Agricultural Development Office, the volume of production of saffron in this town, of 12,000 people, is estimated to be around 7000 pounds per year. The total area dedicated to this traditional culture in Morocco is about seven and a half million square yards with 1285 farmers. The country is currently classified as the forth saffron producer in the world, after Iran, India and Greece. Saffron is used in cuisine, medicine and cosmetics. It remains a traditional culture that uses few modern tools. Most of the work is done by hand. Farmers, Bent to the ground, must distinguish between small flowers in order to pick a specific one. It takes about 150,000 flowers to produce one single kilogram of saffron. This hard work does mostly benefit the middlemen who are making large profits at expense farmers who remain dirt poor. Exports by the Exchange Office, have reached $6 million in 2009. Spain and Switzerland are the main importers of Moroccan saffron. In Morocco, Saffron, or the red gold, as it is called, is primarily marketed in a traditional manner and out of official circuits. The agricultural cooperatives and the tourism circuit account for the remaining share of volumes sold. Currently, the price of saffron is around $2,268 per pound but the price of this product has fluctuated over the years. A pound of saffron that used to cost $286 in 1991 has swelled to almost $2,000 in 2009. In December of 2009, an application for a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) has been filed for the Taliouine saffron. The goal of the PDO is to help keep some of the profits that are currently being made by middlemen both in Morocco and abroad, locally. The Marketing campaign should favor direct links between local farmers, large distributors and retail stores. The aims to improve life conditions and increase the incomes of women and rural families that live in these highlands. The PDO approach looks to create new jobs for young people in the entire chain: production, drying and marketing and bolster saffron production as a special regional product. The PDO encourages the organization of small farm producers into groups that are represented by a cooperative, a solution that reflects local realities as it preserves traditional ties, social, economic and cultural links and defends the rights for the farmers of a special and unique spice.
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Comments (5)
Morcelli
said:
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hile MoroccoBoard.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. MoroccoBoard.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
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Be carefull of fake saffron I personally prefer Iranian Saffron if you buy the real thing ( My Iranian buddy used to acquire it for me when he goes to Iran) but I would not say this to any of my relatives because they get offended,I am afraid they will take me a traitor. Just like the king said, you are either Moroccan or traitor. Buying it from ebay and alike is a waste of your money. It's unbelievable how many people out there will do anything to take your money. Fake saffron is now colored and sold as real thing. I admit that I was one the victims of these scam artists. Live and learn I guess. Ironically I now get my saffron sent to me from Morocco 40 dirham/gram. |
eLearnDev
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*Tilting head sideways*...trying to understand! Hey Zigler, Where in the article did the author suggest that Moroccan saffron was the best or the most expensive? You may want to read the article again. And maybe send us some goats. |
Zigler
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Irish goat is cheaper than Moroccan goat... If the Moroccan Safron is the most expensive in the world, it does not mean it is the best in the world. Everything in Morocco is more expensive, chicken, milk, transport and Safron included. The price is not an indicator of the quality standard, so I am not sure what message the author is trying to convey... |
Thomas Hollowell
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Heading There Soon! I'll be heading there next week as I travel the south a bit more. I do not believe the it will be in bloom, but it would be great to meet and greet with some of the farmers, who should be making the profits : ) I'll keep you updated. Thomas Hollowell, author of Allah's Garden: A True Story of a Forgotten War in the Sahara Desert of Morocco http://www.allahs-garden.com |
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