A closer look at the requirements for saffron cultivation
Weather
Saffron grows only in extreme temperatures, both hot and cold. Therefore, even the slightest climate change can affect its growth. It grows well in areas with cold winters and hot, dry summers. The desert areas of the Khorasan province in Iran can be considered the best area for growing saffron plants.
Harvest
Saffron grows inside Corcus flowers and should be picked mid-morning on a sunny day. Its harvesting is a truly demanding and time-consuming task. Since ancient times in Khorasan province, saffron has been traditionally collected and hand-harvested by experienced people at dawn. Scientific research has shown that this method is the best method for harvesting saffron.Shortage
For one gram of saffron, approximately 400 flowers are needed. The long red strands have the deepest fragrance and flavor and thus it is highly unlikely that each flower produces a great product. Each flower produces only 3 stigmas and therefore it takes around 75,000 Crocus flowers to produce 1 pound of saffron. Iran produces more than 90% of the world's saffron. India, Greece, Spain, Italy, Morocco and Azerbaijan produce the remaining 10%, respectively. Europe has a significant market share with 35% of market consumption. In Europe, Spain and Italy are the main consumers of saffron. Due to the growing needs of the food sector, some countries are also involved in the production of special formulations of saffron. In short, all the saffron in the world, whether branded by Spain, Italy or Switzerland, is of Iranian origin.
Traditional production and distribution, along with widespread global consumption, have made saffron one of the most counterfeited products in the food industry. Saffron ranks fourth in the world on this list. Other reasons for this may be the high cost, lack of supply chain regulations and monitoring, and existing technological methods to recognize authenticity and quality. The high potential profits have driven the saffron fraud market.
In one operation, the Spanish authorities discovered a saffron storage site, where saffron was mixed with fibers from other plants together with industrial dyes. A study of saffron in India showed that 44% of the samples were integrated with parts that were not stigmas of saffron or came from other adulterating plants. In the same study, none of the samples had an A or ISO quality grade. A survey conducted in France in 2018 found that saffron is the most counterfeited or non-genuine spice. One sample was 100% safflower (industrially dyed fiber). Among the saffron samples analyzed, 81% had originality anomalies. In a 2018 study, different saffron samples from different European and Asian cities were examined, in which more than 70% of the samples were impregnated with other low-quality materials. On average, out of ten samples tested, seven samples had been integrated with cheap plant fibers. Some drug traffickers have abandoned drugs to venture into red gold dealing and scamming because they seem to be making more money from it than drugs. In India, customs officials say they uncover at least three criminals smuggling saffron every day because criminals try to smuggle this fragrant flower from Iran. Saffron prices have soared to unprecedented levels in India due to declining harvests, climate change, poor irrigation and pollution in the region. According to a figure recognized by the Association of Spanish Farmers, ASAJA, only one percent of saffron is produced in Spain under the Spanish title and the rest comes from Iran, Morocco and Greece. According to figures released by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, the country exported 190,000 kilos of saffron in 2010 while the local production in Spain that year was only 1,500 kilograms. The difference showed that the producers imported saffron at a cheaper price, processed it and then repackaged it under Spanish brands.Fight against fraud
Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world and is used in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Regrettably, saffron is the fourth counterfeited foodstuff in the world due to the lack of regulations and control and technical methods of the supply chain. Saffron Token has created a solution for neutralizing fraudulent practices in the industry. Saffron or red gold which is obtained from the dried stigma of the saffron flower (Crocus Sativus) is in great demand in the food, beverage, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. According to the medical research, due to the various therapeutic properties of saffron in traditional medicine, it can be used in manufacture of anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, antioxidants and other special medicines to secure a significant market share. . It is also used to treat asthma, cancers, hypoxia, cough, hypertension, multiple sclerosis and other common diseases. The demand for saffron as an herbal option in medical applications is expected to give a special place to the market of this plant
The saffron supply chain
The farmer prepares the conditions for the saffron harvest by watering and protecting the saffron bulbs. At this stage the stigma of the flowers is carefully separated to prevent other parts of the flower from merging. This stage is usually carried out at dawn. After removing the stigmas, they are placed on sheets of paper to dry and then sold to local brokers. For authentic quality saffron, there must be constant information on the conditions and route of production because fraud and deception can occur at any stage. . Most of the aforementioned saffron scams took place at one stage of the supply chain. Therefore, data must always be kept intact and up-to-date to maintain product health.
Advantages of SAFFRON TOKEN in the saffron production and sale industry:
Information can be traced from production to the place of delivery
It helps analyze and plan activities and transactions based on information derived from the entire supply chain.
Integration of IoT devices for online monitoring.
Provides in-depth knowledge for all parties involved.
Every party to the system can access the data at any time.
SAFFRON TOKEN is a solution that aims to simplify and moralize the supply chain to address major issues facing the industry. SAFFRON TOKEN has the potential to create a win-win situation for both consumers and related businesses.
The more transparent the food production process, the more information consumers will have at their disposal to make smart decisions about their foodstuff. With blockchain-based agriculture, food prices will be cheaper. However, it will also be better for us to know where these products come from. Blockchain is the key to producing truly organic and local food products that will be available to anyone at a reasonable price. Blockchain-based agriculture is intended to simplify the process of food production and distribution. This process seeks to connect all sectors to a single source of information for the supply chain of the agriculture sector.
Blockchain technology is a way of storing and sharing information in a network of users in an open virtual space. Blockchain technology allows users to view all transactions simultaneously and instantly. For example, a retailer with this technology can see which farmer or company the supplier purchased the product from. Since this information and transactions are not stored in a specific location and are available on all computers on the network, there is no way to hack or manipulate it.
In this process, clients will significantly benefit from blockchain technology.
The most useful application of blockchain in business is its use in the supply chain. Much effort has gone into how this technology can make production processes simpler and more efficient.
Today, very few people are aware of the process of the food and beverages they consume, where the products are grown or created, and the journey they take to reach the aisles of local supermarkets.
But now, the transparency that blockchain technology offers means that everything can be easily seen by scanning the barcode with your mobile phone, and all the necessary information will appear on your screen immediately.
Since we are all interested in acquiring the information we need about what we consume and how to use such information, Blockchain technology helps fulfill this desire, and as a result, helps food providers improve the way food moves around the world.
New blockchain technology and the Internet of Things (or objects) are revolutionizing the food supply and could hold the key to global food security in the near future.
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