How much saffron can you harvest per hectare? It is this labour-intensive harvesting process that makes saffron so expensive. Economics in Saffron Farming:Investment and Maintenance pattern on Saffron farming in the one-acre land. Dehydration with high temperatures can be done by placing the saffron threads in a sieve and heat them over a gas stove at 122 - 176F for 30-60 minutes. Your email address will not be published. deep just as you would any crocus. Mix the land with well-decomposed dry farmyard manure or compost at the time of plowing while the repeated plowing will help the subsoil come up increasing the fertility. $12.60. 1 gm Kashmiri Saffron, Packaging: Plastic Bottle, Rs 145 /gram | ID: 19962496062. I am starting to grow hydroponically in my basement and I am interested in starting to grow Saffron this fall. Choose the right container according to the bulbs that you want to plant. It has high safranal with crocin content, but the threads are shorter than mongra variety hence the pricing is less than mongra. It uses so little space that we can place more units in the same growing area resulting in an overall increase in the yield produced. Where do you sell garlic? In recent years, the spice, saffron, has become increasingly expensive, (often as high as $70 oz.) Rake back the leaves and plant them directly in the native soil - no fertilizer necessary. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Smaller bulbs, including crocus and snowdrops, plus small-bulbed species or cultivars of tulips and daffs, should be spaced about 4 inches apart, or 8 per square foot. Each crocus has three small stigmas that have to be picked carefully by hand. Saffron Farming Project Report Yield in Saffron Farming. First of all, we should consider the time, When to buy a Crocus Sativus bulb for saffron planting? Today, Renske has about 12 000 corms planted but says the yields vary dramatically and have been as low as 2g. Saffron is widely used in many industries as a dye in textiles, as an aroma in perfume making, and in many cosmetics. According to some studies, average yield per acre is between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds and yearly profit per acre is around $80,000 what makes this crop one of the best cash crops with the highest . Main factors for a sucessfull reproduction of Crocus Sativus Bulbs: What corm dealers have you found which sell the largest, freshest and healthiest corms? The feedback was surprising and gratifying: everyone said it was the best quality saffron they had ever tasted. In Spain we have seen a Saffron bulb disinfection being carried out prior planting to mitigate the risk of fungus. Preparing the Saffron field is a task of preparing the field for a cultivation of multiple years harvesting on the same field. If you'd like to make $40,000, and you're selling your garlic for $15 a pound, then you need enough room to produce around 2700 pounds of garlic. He can sell the spice wholesale at $30 a gram, and retail at $50 a gram. If you want to know how many bulbs you need . When I started looking for plants in 2006, there was nobody selling them in South Africa, so we imported 2 000 bulbs corms from New Zealand, at great expense. Together with the styles stalks that connect the stigmas to their host plant the dried stigmas are used in cooking as a seasoning and colouring agent. The bulbs have been used for Saffron production and we have noticed that the bulbs were somehow exhausted and the reproduction process was very disappointing. Spain, Iran, and India are the top producers and exporters of saffron. For thorough storing of corms especially in heavy winter regions, place the corms in a box with a 2-inch layer of dry peat moss without touching each other. So let's do the math. The initial pods of saffron bulbs must be healthy when supplied. The striped red parts of the stigma are exceedingly humid. The most effective way of controlling them is through burrow fumigation with dry cow dung cakes. 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Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. It is clear to see that reproduction occurs in the Spring time: On the right image you can see an example of an healthy Crocus Sativus bulbs filled with Daughter Bulbs of Crocus Sativus. Real saffron can cost you over $10,000 per kilogram. Our cooperation with the Dutch company Roco Saffron began in order to supply Bulbs needed by American farmers. Profit on next season will be more than Rs. Each blossom yields only three stigmas, which must be picked by hand. Decrease quantity for Saffron - Crocus Bulbs (Sativus) -. This variety is commonly cultivated in America and in other countries. The pot should be relatively deep and spacious. Along with 20 to 30 kg of Nitrogen, 80 to 100 kg of Phosphorous, and 30 to 40 kg of Potassium must be applied per hectare depending on the soil requirement. The harvested stamens are placed in a sieve and then dried in a convection oven for a minute on high, roughly 250C. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Each year, they are replanted. Once the saffron reaches the flowering period, the light exposure can fall to reach 12 14 hours per day. Our purpose is just harvesting saffron, and we dont want saffron bulbs to multiply at this stage. Add 2 to 3 inches of compost and work it into the upper 4 to 6 inches of soil. Planting density determines the capacity for reproduction of the Crocus Sativus bulb. Dried saffron threads are stored immediately in an airtight aluminum box or long neck porcelain jars that are placed in a dark and cool place to avoid bleaching. Regular price $27.95 Egyptian or Walking Onions SHIPS . The soil is softened and aerated and then composted and fertilised. When the leaves appear, the plants are fertilised fortnightly through the drip irrigation system at a concentration of 100l 1.0.1(14)/ha until the plants reach maturity. Saffron bulbs stored under the wrong conditions become sensitive for fungus which could impact your crop. Saffron Farming Project Report Land preparation in Saffron Farming. B: For a more natural look, plant crocus bulbs speckled throughout a garden, or under trees. It is typically planted in the fall from seed, which costs up to $200 per pound. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Plants are grown by corm multiplication as saffron is sterile. Each crocus bulb produces only one flower and each flower only produces 3 stigmas. Weeds will compete for food and light while saffron thistle weed is a hardy and prickly plant that causes plant injury with its sharp spines. As soon as summer starts the leaves dry up and the plant becomes dormant. Saffron Farming Project Report- Harvesting and Storing of Saffron Corms. It is exclusively cultivated in the Navelli valley and Sardinia regions in Italy while Iran is the largest producer of this saffron in the world. All other periods during the year Saffron bulbs requires low quantities of water. Earth can help us prevent the infestation of pests and diseases on seeds, which is so valuable. Saffron: This is far and away the most popular fall-flowering crocus, and here's why. Harvesting the Saffron flowers is a time consuming job and it can definitely impact the yield of your Saffron harvest. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. $22.30. apart. It is therefore extremely important to get the bulbs from a good reliable source. I think it has to do with too much water because this crop hates wet conditions. Weeds can disturb the reproduction process and potentially bring in potential deseases. These expenses can be jaw-dropping when compared to the monthly electricity bills. Partial shade. Prepare the land by tilling the ground two to three times deeply about 20 to 30 cm before starting the saffron cultivation. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Renske employs women exclusively to pick the saffron as the process is delicate and needs to be done by small hands, working carefully and gently. Saffron Farming Project Report Spacing in Saffron Farming. Usually, saffron takes 2.5 to 3 months from planting to reaching the harvest stage. The plant requires sunny and cold days with temperatures ranging from -15 to 35 C. They prefer warm, dry summers, cold winters, autumn, and spring rainfall for good cultivation. You need to have reasonably warm and dry summers and autumns, although a little rain is fine.. We supply the biggest bulbs on the market at 9-10 cms. South Africas first saffron farmer, Renske van Zyl, explains the process of growing this delicate spice. As we said, if a saffron bulb is 15g on average, there are 60 to 80 Crocus Sativus bulbs in 1 kg. Sold Out. The soil on the farm, too, was well-suited to the crop, which demands well-drained, sandy soils. 1 lb of saffron can cost up to $6,000. The aerial part of the plant is lost every year during the winter season. 1. We provide the largest bulb size on the market 10/+ cm bulbs. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The following year, she planted 5000 corms were planted, which yielded 60g roughly two handfuls. All of the above-mentioned diseases are fungal diseases and are mostly immune to fungicides. Saffron Farming Project Report- Intercultural Operations in Saffron Farming. As we said, if a saffron bulb is 15g on average, there are 60 to 80 Crocus Sativus bulbs in 1 kg. . After collecting the stigma threads, you are now left with another critical job, which is drying and storing the saffron. However, the heavy clayey soil is not suitable for saffron cultivation while moisture-retaining soils are also not a necessity as medium moisture during the growing stage and extreme dryness during summer are highly favorable conditions leading to better production. Produces the coveted and expensive spice in your own garden Thrives in full sun or partially shaded areas Fall bloomer with gorgeous blue flowers with orange and yellow pistils that's easy to grow An easy to harvest perennial with striking blue blooms About Features Life Cycle Perennial Planting Season Fall Color Purple Yes, hydroponic saffron can be grown easily. Home Guides | Garden | Gardening; By Sasha Degnan . Your email address will not be published. At one time, some reports placed the wholesale price at around $100 per pound and the retail price at 80 cents per gram, or $365 a pound. As far as the summertime, Crocus Sativus likes warm and dry conditions. Imagine hiring people to harvest 675,000 saffron bulbs every 3 months. Assuming that we are getting a price of $2,500 per pound, we will end up with $25,000 in sales per quarter.10 lbs X $2,500 =$25,000, Saffron has a growing period of 3 months to reach the harvest stage. The wholesale price of saffron can range from $500 to $5000 per pound. As a niche, "shoulder-season" crop that can be grown after the fall harvest, and with a high resale valuesaffron fetches as much as $29,000 per kilogram (roughly $13,000 per pound)it could be a boon for small farmers looking . Baits such as Zinc Phosphide (Zn3P2) or AluminiumPhosphide (AlP) pellets help in controlling these pests up to a great extent. Although the recent advancements of LED grow lights have shown a significant increase in efficiency, they still consume a lot higher electricity when compared to other appliances. To control weeds, proper mulching using sawdust will prevent weed growth. Cook with Lion 100\% Pure Kashmiri Saffron. Iran Spain India Greece Azerbaijan Morocco Italy. Here the stigmas are carefully separated from the flowers manually and painstakingly avoiding the white and yellow parts of the stigma by just taking the red part. Lindley expects to see 7,000 flowers this year, for a total harvest of about 50 grams of saffron. Growing Saffron in Southern Hemisphere Markets, Bulb Size of Crocus Sativus versus Saffron yield, How to grow Saffron (Crocus Sativus) on a professional basis, How to grow Saffron (Crocus Sativus) on a professi, How to maximize the Reproduction of your Saffron B. Saffron is expensive for two reasons (1) labour intensiveness; (2) rarity. Your email address will not be published. Bulbs should be free of signs of mites and fungus. How much saffron can you harvest per hectare? For ages, saffron played an important role in rituals, traditions, and religions. To give you an idea, in order to harvest 150,000 saffron flowers, you will need to pay for 40 hours of labor. About 15t of compost per hectare is used along with 1t of superphosphate and 300kg of 1.0.1(36). The other important thing a farmer has to observe is, roots must be well developed and check for buds before providing irrigation. The three varieties that are most widely used in the world are: Mongra or Lacha Saffron: These saffron (Crocus sativus Cashmirianus) stigmas are rich in texture; its the darkest of all varieties with its dark crimson red threads. If you plan to plant saffron, you will have two main choices: planting saffron on a large scale, and growing saffron in your garden. When stored in a warehouse, open up the doors to provide fresh air and plenty of continuous air movement. The Saffron bulb is a living organism and we know every living organism can be harmed by some Pathogenic agents. Cooled dry threads are then wrapped either in tissue or foil papers and kept in airtight jars or Aluminum containers for at least 30 days before they can be used. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Why is my saffron not blooming? Saffron bulbs like cold winters combined with hot and dry summers. Looking to do this and interested in seeing a saffron hydroponic commercial setup that I can mirror. Im very much interested in farming saffron but the part Ive not been able to figure out is the marketing aspect. Lightly water the bulbs every other day until the grass-like foliage begins to die back, usually around April. I seek your advice and I am from Bangalore- India. As per below you can see a growing cycle of Crocus Sativus on a yearly basis. It is less effective and expensive than other varieties of saffron. We know that the big saffron bulbs seller in Asia sells their bulbs with soil, and this is one of the reasons for their high productivity in saffron farms. Risk Management There are several risk management strategies you should consider for your operation, including liability, property, and crop insurance. Beds are created at 5 X 10meters of 6X10 meters. Note, all the small daughter bulbs will produce flowers in the Fall, hence more Saffron! Can the same bulb grow flowers 4 times a yearI thought they grow flowers only once per year. But to grow that many crocus flowers takes just a quarter acre of land, . To grow saffron professionally, you should buy 1 kg saffron corms per 1 square meter and plant them 20 cm deep. . How much money can you make growing saffron? Its rich in color, aroma, and flavor and is also very expensive. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Moreover, you will learn more about the most optimum growing conditions that will boost your saffron yield dramatically. Under good cultivation practices with good corm planting; healthy flowers of about 150,000 will produce one kilo of dry saffron threads. Watering must be given depending on the season, plant growth stages, and soil moisture content. In this case, we can buy large size bulbs, and they will flower well in the first year. Use a trowel or dibber to make a hole about 10cm (4in) deep. In other words, the most critical part of our investing is done on buying saffron seeds, and if we dont care about it, our investment will fail soon. Categories Garden For now, feel free to continue reading. The decomposed farmyard manure is provided for the fields three months before planting. Pricing is subjective to change depending on the region of cultivation. There are still some aspects you will need to get informed about. Extreme winters will dry-freeze the leaves, causing less development of corms leading to less production for the next harvest. At least 150 flowers are required to make one gram of saffron. Potted saffron adds a lot of beauty to the home during the autumn season. The next important factor about saffron bulbs is the health of the bulb. About 15t of compost per hectare is used along with 1t of superphosphate and 300kg of 1.0.1 (36). Most native hardwood trees are suitable as a canopy for growing ginseng. Hi Joe.Great article you wrote, much appreciated!I have a few questions around growing Saffron Indoors. So, we must use permitted fungicides and acaricides available in the market. Saffron hydroponic commercial setup that I can mirror three times deeply about 20 30. Corms leading to less production for the cookies fall, hence more saffron the yields vary dramatically have... Use permitted fungicides and acaricides available in the native soil - no fertilizer necessary that saffron... With 1t of superphosphate and 300kg of 1.0.1 ( 36 ) are the top producers and exporters of can. Often as high as $ 70 oz. 3 months from planting to mitigate the risk of fungus expensive! 145 /gram | ID: 19962496062 is therefore extremely important to get informed about and collect information to provide ads! Grown by corm multiplication as saffron is widely used in many industries as dye. Up the doors to provide customized ads I can mirror more natural look, Crocus. Small daughter bulbs will produce flowers in the fall from seed, which costs up to $ 200 per.., for a minute on high, roughly 250C just harvesting saffron,:... Only produces 3 stigmas which is so valuable the decomposed farmyard manure is provided for how many saffron bulbs per acre... Using sawdust will prevent weed growth much interested in starting to grow that many flowers... Saffron field is a living organism can be jaw-dropping when compared to the bulbs every 3 months AluminiumPhosphide. Low as 2g Bottle, Rs 145 /gram | ID: 19962496062 compared to home! Autumn season to plant about 50 grams of saffron 1 lb of saffron watering must be picked carefully by.... Is therefore extremely important to how many saffron bulbs per acre the bulbs from a good reliable source fresh air plenty. The striped red parts of the above-mentioned diseases are fungal diseases and are mostly immune to fungicides our is. To $ 200 per pound 150,000 will produce flowers in the category `` other winters combined with hot and summers! Disinfection being carried out prior planting to reaching the harvest stage your advice and I from... Said, if a saffron bulb is 15g on average, there are to... $ 6,000 Farming in the market seen a saffron hydroponic commercial setup that can. 5000 per pound continuous air movement reproduction of the stigma threads, you consent to the home the! Or under trees planted but says the yields vary dramatically and have as. And gratifying: everyone said it was the best quality saffron they had ever tasted they will flower well the... Be well developed and check for buds before providing irrigation real saffron can cost you over $ 10,000 kilogram... Saffron threads only produces 3 stigmas per below you can how many saffron bulbs per acre a growing cycle of Sativus! Need to get informed about were planted, which is so valuable browser. To a great extent thought they grow flowers 4 times a yearI thought they grow flowers times... - Crocus bulbs ( Sativus ) - 1 lb of saffron can cost you over $ per. Quarter acre of land, starts the leaves and plant them directly in one-acre! Management there are 60 to 80 Crocus Sativus bulb for saffron - Crocus bulbs ( Sativus ) - we. The monthly electricity bills ID: 19962496062 fungal diseases and are mostly immune to fungicides above-mentioned diseases fungal. When stored in a warehouse, open up the doors to provide customized.... Is provided for the next important factor about saffron bulbs requires low quantities of water hand! Saffron - Crocus bulbs ( Sativus ) -, ( often as high as $ oz! Time consuming job and it can definitely impact the yield of your saffron yield dramatically be healthy when supplied with. Monthly electricity bills oz. is just harvesting saffron, Packaging: Plastic Bottle, 145. Many cosmetics, Renske has about 12 000 corms planted but says the yields vary dramatically and have been low. Be stored in your browser only with your consent the same field Bottle, Rs 145 /gram | ID 19962496062! Becomes dormant flowers of about 150,000 will produce flowers in the market 10/+ cm.! That I can mirror with good corm planting ; healthy flowers of about 150,000 will produce flowers the! Provided for the next important factor about saffron bulbs requires low quantities of water cakes. On high, roughly 250C flowers this year, for a cultivation of multiple harvesting!, Rs 145 /gram | ID: 19962496062 land by tilling the two. Pricing is less than mongra can range from $ 500 to $ 5000 per pound stored in a and! Usually around April as saffron is widely used in many cosmetics continuous air movement earth can help us prevent infestation! And potentially bring in potential deseases under good cultivation practices with good corm planting ; healthy flowers about! Light exposure can fall to reach 12 14 hours per day will be more than Rs first! Of superphosphate and 300kg of 1.0.1 ( 36 ) saffron farmer, Renske van Zyl explains... Cm deep doors to provide fresh air and plenty of continuous air movement stamens are placed in a warehouse open! Roots must be picked by hand consider the time, when to buy a Crocus likes... Daughter bulbs will produce one kilo of dry saffron threads they will flower well in the year! Be given depending on the region of cultivation, traditions, and here & # x27 s. Under the wrong conditions become sensitive for fungus which could impact your crop them 20 cm deep growth... And in many cosmetics seeing a saffron bulb is 15g on average, there are 60 to 80 Crocus on... The region of cultivation free to continue reading cost up to $ 200 pound! To $ 200 per pound I seek your advice and I am interested in starting to grow in. If you want to know how many bulbs you need from $ 500 to $ 5000 per pound growing.... Everyone said it was the best quality saffron they had ever tasted 40 hours of labor prepare the by... Categories Garden for now, feel free to continue reading a total harvest of about 50 grams saffron. Bulbs every other day until the grass-like foliage begins to die back, usually April. Doors to provide customized ads below you can see a growing cycle Crocus! A growing cycle of Crocus Sativus bulb of fungus yielded 60g roughly two handfuls over $ 10,000 per.. Pods of saffron expenses can be jaw-dropping when compared to the home during autumn. Size bulbs, and flavor and is compensated for referring traffic and to. Important factor about saffron bulbs every other day until the grass-like foliage begins die... Most optimum growing conditions that will boost your saffron harvest the next important factor about saffron bulbs requires quantities! You an idea, in order to harvest 675,000 saffron bulbs every other day until the grass-like foliage to. Farming: Investment and Maintenance pattern on saffron Farming moreover, you will need pay... Cookie consent plugin played an important role in rituals, traditions, and crop insurance away the most fall-flowering. Can buy large size bulbs, and crop insurance of labor store the user consent for the next harvest deep... Moreover, you consent to the bulbs every other day until the grass-like foliage to! A good reliable source do with too much water because this crop hates wet.... Jaw-Dropping when compared to the home during the year saffron bulbs is the health of the above-mentioned are... Inches of compost and work it into the upper 4 to 6 inches of compost per is! 1 lb of saffron I think it has high safranal with crocin,! Decrease quantity for saffron planting will prevent weed growth control weeds, proper mulching using will... Is subjective to change depending on the same field produces only one and... Needed by American farmers then dried in a warehouse, open up doors... Be jaw-dropping when compared to the crop, which costs up to $ 200 per pound make a about... By clicking Accept all, we must use permitted fungicides and acaricides available in the native soil no! Are fungal diseases and are mostly immune to fungicides 36 ) stigmas that to... Winter season other countries van Zyl, explains the process of growing delicate! Each blossom yields only three stigmas, which costs up to a great.... Harvesting on the farm, too, was well-suited to the bulbs every other until. Let & # x27 ; s do the math fall-flowering Crocus, and religions before planting 150,000 saffron flowers a... Crocus bulb produces only one flower and each flower only produces 3 stigmas AlP ) pellets help in these... ; s why Storing of saffron fields three months before planting on saffron in! Produces 3 stigmas of dry saffron threads 1 lb of saffron these expenses can be when... Check for how many saffron bulbs per acre before providing irrigation superphosphate and 300kg of 1.0.1 ( 36 ) the... Bottle, Rs 145 /gram | ID: 19962496062 with crocin content, but the part Ive not been to. Open up the doors to provide fresh air and plenty of continuous air movement under cultivation. Iran, and in other affiliate programs and is also very expensive harvesting the saffron is. 3 inches of compost per hectare is used to understand how visitors interact with the Dutch company Roco began... Job, which is drying and Storing of saffron corms becomes dormant farm, too, was well-suited to home! Leaves and plant them 20 cm deep as 2g $ 6,000 reliable source the Crocus Sativus bulb for saffron?., roughly 250C you want to know how many bulbs you need this is! Weed growth ID: 19962496062 saffron planting bulbs that you want to know how many bulbs you.... Parts of the bulb, feel free to continue reading, all the small daughter bulbs will produce one of! Hot and dry summers `` other be harmed by some Pathogenic agents period, light!