Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov.5/ Trend F.Milad/
Iran annually produces 180 tons of saffron which accounts for 80 percent of the world's total supply, an Iranian MP said.
"Since Iran is the world's greatest saffron producers, the country can play an important role in setting the price in global markets," the ISNA News Agency quoted Mohammad Esma'eilnia as saying.
Iran has exported roughly 48.4 tons of saffron worth over $147 million during the first six months of the current Iranian year, the ISNA news agency reported.
The exports showed 7 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous year.
Iran's saffron output is forecasted to hit 250 tons by the end of the current year (March 20, 2013), showing 40 tons rise compared to the year before, the head of the association of saffron farmers of South Khorasan Province Ali Hosseini said in May.
Last year, over 130 tons of saffron produce was exported, which was 47 percent more than the figure in its preceding year, Hosseini added.
He put the domestic consumption of saffron at 40 tons approximately.
The Iranian administration has developed a plan for raising the annual saffron output to 500 tons by 2021, according to the Fars news agency.
The plan has envisaged boosting the saffron output to 500 tons in 2021 and boosting exports to over $1 billion.
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