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Top Saffron Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

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Saffron flowers with crimson stigmas
Saffron
In 2024, globally exported saffron was worth a total US$253.3 million. Saffron is used mainly for food seasoning, in traditional medicine and as ingredients for fabric dyes and perfumes.

The spice, with its sweet honey and grassy hay-like aroma, is also used in religious ceremonies notably in India.

Worldwide exports of saffron shrank by an average -32% since 5 years earlier in 2020 when saffron exports totaled $372.8 million.

Year over year, the dollar value of saffron exports deflated by -38.1% compared to $409 million starting from 2023.

Key Geographic Insights for Saffron Exports & Imports

The 5 biggest saffron exporters are Iran, Afghanistan, Spain, Netherlands and France. Combined, that leading cohort of international suppliers generated 88.8% of globally exported saffron sold during 2024.

Applying a continental lens, countries in Asia sold the greatest dollar worth of exported saffron during 2024 with shipments valued at $167.1 million or 66% of the world total. In second place were exporters based in Europe at 33.2%. Tinier percentages came from North America (0.6%), Africa (0.2%), Latin America plus the Caribbean (0.1%), then Oceania’s Australia and New Zealand only (0.01%).

Focusing on saffron imports, the 5 leading importers of saffron in 2024 were Spain, India, Italy, Saudi Arabia and the United States of America. That quintet of top buyers bought over three-fifths (62.4%) of globally imported saffron by total cost.

Those percentages suggest a more concentrated cohort of 78 saffron exporters in total (88.8% for top 5 suppliers) compared to some 150 importing countries, islands and territories and the corresponding top 5 importers (62.4%).

From a continental perspective, 50.7% of globally imported saffron was delivered to countries in Europe trailed by importers in Asia (37.6%), North America (8.8%), Latin America (1.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Oceania (0.8%) led by Australia and New Zealand, then Africa (0.5%).

In 2024, we calculated the worldwide average unit price paid by importers to be $229,050 per ton of saffron. That dollar amount reflects an average 87.1% in price inflation from the average tonnage rate of $122,447 for 2023.

Saffon is the world’s most valuable exported spice. Its inflated prices are partly due to labor costs since it takes roughly 70,000 hand-picked crocus flowers to produce one pound of saffron (150,000 flowers per kilogram).

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 091020 for saffron.

Top Saffron Exports by Country

Below are the top 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of saffron during 2024.

  1. Iran: US$95.5 million (37.7% of total saffron exports)
  2. Afghanistan: $60.4 million (23.9%)
  3. Spain: $56.2 million (22.2%)
  4. Netherlands: $8.6 million (3.4%)
  5. France: $4.3 million (1.7%)
  6. United Arab Emirates: $4.1 million (1.6%)
  7. India: $3.6 million (1.4%)
  8. Belgium: $2.6 million (1%)
  9. Poland: $2.5 million (1%)
  10. Greece: $2.4 million (0.9%)
  11. Italy: $2.2 million (0.9%)
  12. Germany: $1.7 million (0.7%)
  13. United States: $1.1 million (0.5%)
  14. Austria: $982,000 (0.4%)
  15. mainland China: $886,000 (0.3%)

By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 97.6% of globally exported saffron in 2024.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing saffron exporters since 2023 were: India (up 497%), mainland China (up 172.6%), Netherlands (up 160.6%) and Belgium (up 116.5%).

Major suppliers that posted declines in their exported saffron sales were: United Arab Emirates (down -69.1% from 2023), Iran (down -62.3%) and Austria (down -5.2%).

Top Saffron Imports by Country

The overall spending on imported saffron totaled US$243 million falling by -12.35% over the 5-year period starting in 2020 and dropping by a similar -12.37% since 2023.

Below are the 15 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of saffron imported during 2024.

  1. Spain: US$56.3 million (23.2% of total saffron imports)
  2. India: $38.2 million (15.7%)
  3. Italy: $19.5 million (8%)
  4. Saudi Arabia: $19.3 million (7.9%)
  5. United States: $18.2 million (7.5%)
  6. mainland China: $16.4 million (6.8%)
  7. France: $11.7 million (4.8%)
  8. Sweden: $7.8 million (3.2%)
  9. Germany: $6.1 million (2.5%)
  10. Kuwait: $6 million (2.4%)
  11. United Kingdom: $5.7 million (2.4%)
  12. United Arab Emirates: $4.5 million (1.9%)
  13. Switzerland: $4.4 million (1.8%)
  14. Belgium: $3.5 million (1.4%)
  15. Argentina: $2.6 million (1.1%)

By value, the listed 15 countries bought 90.6% of globally imported saffron in 2024.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing saffron importers since 2023 were: Belgium (up 58.2%), Italy (up 35.7%), Spain (up 24.6%) and Germany (up 18.3%).

Foremost buyer countries that posted declines in their imported saffron purchases were led by: United Arab Emirates (down -76.3% from 2023), mainland China (down -38.1%), Kuwait (down -29.3%), Argentina (down -19.8%) and Saudi Arabia (down -1.2%).

Lowest and Highest Unit Prices for Imported Saffron

The world’s average unit price for imported saffron was US$183,941 per ton in 2024, expanding by 87.1% compared to the average $122,447 per ton for 2023.

The average tonnage charge paid by the number one saffron importer, Spain, was an above-average $1,252,000 per ton.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported saffron in 2024.

  1. Mauritania: US$190 per ton (down -87.8% from 2023)
  2. Somalia: $250 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
  3. Honduras: $500 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
  4. Zambia: $848 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
  5. Angola: $1,552 per ton (up 27.3%)
  6. Botswana: $2,125 per ton (up 96.2%)
  7. Philippines: $2,529 per ton (down -69.2%)
  8. Nicaragua: $2,750 per ton (down -31.3%)
  9. Ivory Coast: $3,000 per ton (up 20%)
  10. Liberia: $3,000 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
  11. Marshall Islands: $3,000 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
  12. Fiji: $3,500 per ton (up 75%)
  13. Saint Lucia: $4,000 per ton (2023 data unavailable)
  14. Brazil: $4,038 per ton (up 8.2%)
  15. Costa Rica: $4,857 per ton (down -2.9%)

Enjoying double-digit reductions in average unit price paid per ton for saffron were low-cost importers Mauritania (down -87.8% from 2023), Philippines (down -69.2%) and Nicaragua (down -31.3%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported saffron.

  1. Japan: US$1,824,000 per ton (up 38.7% from 2023)
  2. Poland: $1,624,000 per ton (up 24.4%)
  3. Argentina: $1,308,500 per ton (up 60.5%)
  4. Spain: $1,252,000 per ton (up 124.3%)
  5. Germany: $1,210,800 per ton (up 42%)
  6. Kuwait: $991,833 per ton (up 123.8%)
  7. Taiwan: $828,000 per ton (up 58.7%)
  8. Switzerland: $725,500 per ton (up 67.6%)
  9. India: $659,414 per ton (up 60.9%)
  10. United Arab Emirates: $647,143 per ton (up 1245.1%)
  11. Austria: $571,500 per ton (up 15.2%)
  12. Sweden: $555,857 per ton (up 15.9%)
  13. Czech Republic: $475,000 per ton (down -7.2%)
  14. mainland China: $391,095 per ton (up 4.7%)
  15. Saudi Arabia: $377,784 per ton (up 8.5%)

At the forefront in terms of inflated average unit prices paid in 2024 compared to 2023 were the United Arab Emirates (up 1,245%), Spain (up 124.3%), Kuwait (up 123.8%), Switzerland (up 67.6%) and India (up 60.9%).

See also Top Exported Spices by Sales, Weight and Unit Value, Top Turmeric Exports & Imports by Country, Cinnamon Exports by Country, Top Garlic Exports by Country, Top Ginger Exporters and Top Peppermint Exports & Imports by Country

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Saffron Showroom. Accessed on July 25, 2025

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 25, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 25, 2025

Wikipedia, Saffron. Accessed on July 25, 2025