Mahrukh Farooq

Killing the Poppy Trade As an alternative crop to poppy cultivation, saffron from Afghanistan has the potential to rule world markets By Sheema Zain For years, Ahmad, 45, grew opium poppies, the crops widely known as the fundamental element in the creation of heroin. As it does for many other Afghans, the illicit drug trade provided him with a stable income in a country beset by economic hardships, especially in the more rural areas. Yet, despite having everything going for him, Ahmad made the surprise business decision to switch to growing saffron which is considered the world’s most expensive spice. Made from the crimson stigmas plucked and dried from a special type of crocus flower, saffron can easily sell for more than $1,200 a pound, compared with just less than $2 per pound for other spices such as cumin. Afghan officials contend that many poppy farmers in Heart have switched to growing saffron while international officials often hold saffron up as an example of ways in which Afghan farmers can successfully grow crops that are legal and less harmful. Saffron has been growing in Afghanistan for the past 2,000 years. The word ‘saffron’ goes as far back as 10,000 years and is said to be derived from the world ‘zarparan’ which comes from the Dari language, meaning ‘flower’. As of now, the flower’s stigma is currently being valued at the same price as gold in the world market. However, saffron cultivation had been forgotten in Afghanistan with the spice mainly being grown over the last eight years for agricultural trials. It was only when Afghan refugees who had previously worked in saffron fields returned from Iran, bringing back with them saffron corns in the 90s that a saffron plantation was started in the Pashtoon, Zarghoon and Ghoryan district of Herat Province. Saffron bulbs are cultivated in late August and their flowers are reaped by mid-October. The red filaments of saffron, i.e. the aromatic thread-like substances that are considered the most important part of the entire flower, are then collected by hand. In dried or powdered forms, saffron is mainly used as a spice while preparing food, in drinks, such as tea and coffee and in materials specifically for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and perfume industries. It is also used as a healing agent as it is considered to be rich in anti-oxidants known for their anti-cancer effects. Saffron is known to prevent cardiovascular disease, boost the immune system, help improve mood and prevent loss of vision. Afghan farmers’ use of traditional methods of farming for the production of saffron is one of the reasons for the spice’s high quality. “Afghan saffron is more natural and of much better quality than that coming from other countries,” claims Ahmad. “Iran and Pakistan, they just don’t have it.” A 2013 report commissioned by the Afghan Investment Support Agency also confirmed that Afghan saffron may be of higher quality than that produced in Iran, which accounts for more than 80% of the world’s entire saffron production. According to the Afghanistan Investment Support agency’s report, Iran produces 200 tons of saffron every year. Greece churns out between five to eight tons while Afghanistan produces about four tons of saffron on a yearly basis. Other saffron producing regions, such as Pakistan and Spain, all manage to produce between one and three tons. The lucrative harvest of saffron eventually drew the government’s attention, giving rise to the idea that saffron could quite possibly become a good source of income, especially for the country’s rural inhabitants. Thus, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MAIL) imported 18 tons of the spice from Iran, initiating its pilot cultivation phase. In 2002, MAIL, along with international NGOs working in the country, started the distribution of saffron corns to farmers, promoting them as an alternative to poppy cultivation in the provinces of Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Baghlan, Kabul, Wardak, Bamyan and Logar. By 2007, more than 300 farmers were growing saffron in the district. Today, saffron is being grown in over 26 provinces throughout Afghanistan and has managed to give employment to over 1,300 farmers along with their extended families. It is evident that the world’s most exclusive spice has the potential to dethrone other crops which are otherwise known for their illicit origins, thus making it one of the few legal crops that can compete in terms of revenue on the international forum. “Saffron is not only a legitimate crop, but it is also a very lucrative one,” says Zalmai Afzali, a spokesman for the Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN). “One hectare of land can produce about 12kg of saffron and each kilogram fetches approximately US$1,500 in Herat’s main bazaar.” Currently, the MCN, in collaboration with some donors and non-governmental organizations, has helped introduce and promote saffron and other highly profitable crops in poppy cultivating provinces such as Helmand, Nangarhar and Kandahar. International donors are also providing support to the Afghan government in terms of money and technical assistance. Experts at the Ministry of Agriculture in Kabul were hopeful of saffron’s prospects as they said the spice was compatible with the region’s climate as well as the soil of the southern, eastern and western parts of the country. In addition, its cultivation does not require highly advanced methods of irrigation, something which Afghanistan lacks. It seems that the effort, time and money spent have finally begun to bear fruit. According to a study conducted by the MCN, in the western province of Herat, 90% of former poppy farmers have switched to growing saffron. As a result of the promotional efforts by the Afghan government and ministries, the country’s exports of the spice jumped by 14% in 2012, with the crops finally being able to fully squeeze out opium poppy production in several parts of war-torn Afghanistan. Saffron is what has helped people like Ghaffar Hamidzay, 28, to become successful businessmen. Thanks to increasing demand for the spice, Hamidzay’s exports have ballooned since he first set up Afghan Saffron in 2001. “In the beginning, we used to export 50 to 60 kilos (110 to 132 pounds) a year,” says Hamidzay, whose business has given jobs to up to 5,000 people. “Now we export 1.5 to 2 tons, with each kilo worth up to $1,600.” Despite the booming production of saffron, problems continue to dog the nascent industry. In fact, many of Afghanistan’s saffron producers believe that neighboring Iran is trying to destabilize their market in order to crush competition. In addition, a complete collapse of law and order has encouraged many gangs to obstruct government efforts to replace poppy with licit crops. According to Zalmai Afzali, spokesperson for the Ministry of Counter Narcotics (MCN), “Criminal groups and anti-government elements who earn big profits from illicit poppy cultivation oppose and impede saffron cultivation by forcing farmers to grow poppy.” Still, in Herat, Hamidzay has no complaints of any such harassment. In his view, the province is relatively stable compared with Helmand and Uruzgan in the south, where much of the country’s poppy is grown. Other obstacles facing the industry include lack of access to capital, skilled laborers and the required infrastructure. Saffron production requires a very hygienic drying and packaging process, something which is greatly hampered by a lack of equipment and training needed to effectively export greater quantities of saffron. 95% of the work on the flower is done by women, who, as it is, face a lot of hostility and opposition from criminal groups for working such jobs. Afghan companies have focused on building the infrastructure needed to process the spice to international standards to try and give Afghan farmers more of a chance to compete with international saffron powerhouses, yet it is still a long way away from becoming fully self-sufficient in the trade. Nevertheless, with the right amount of investment and resources, Afghanistan will definitely be able to carve its own niche in the international market.