Poppies Turn To Saffron In Afghanistan

The Afghan government along with aid groups and some private businesses have been issuing saffron bulbs to farmers in the hope of them changing their crops to saffron instead of the opium poppy.

Some farmers have begun growing the saffron bulbs according to the Afghan government and state it stays within their religious beliefs and it is also more profitable. The government believes the opium poppy fields in Afghanistan will disappear over time and turn to the growing of saffron instead that is also one of the main ingredients in many of the dishes prepared in that part of the world.

An estimated 1000 farmers grew saffron last year and they harvested between 1,300 and 1,750 pounds of saffron. Even with the decrease in opium farmers Afghistan is still responsible for as much as 90 percent of the opium world wide.

Saffron grows well in the climate and it also is worth more money per acre than the opium poppy according to the government and private businesses.

This spice is used in many of the foods prepared and when used in rice and other dishes it has a pleasing taste and a yellow color. The saffron plant is similar to the growing of poppies in the respect that it is also a flowering plant from which the spice is taken, however it does not reach the size of the Papaver somniferum that is so well known for being grown in Afghanistan.

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