Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov.23/ Trend G.Mehdi/
Iran's saffron output is projected to hit 290 tons in the current Iranian calendar year which ends on March, 20, 2013, IRNA quoted an official with the Ministry of Agriculture as saying.
Last year over 274 tons of saffron was produced in the world, Nasser Tavakkoli said, adding that Iran's share was 254 tons.
According to reports, the domestic consumption of saffron in Iran is around 40 tons.
The Iranian administration has developed a plan for raising the annual saffron output to 500 tons by 2021. This would also boost exports to over $1 billion.
Iran accounts for around 96 per cent of the world's total saffron production. The country exports the product to 46 countries including European and the Persian Gulf countries.
Due to its diverse climate and fertile soil, Iran's agriculture products are rated among the best in the world with its saffron standing second to none.