Iran's Saffron: Export Capacity and Target Markets

Due to increased production of saffron, Iran has been looking for new export markets during recent years. However, a persistent question has been which countries are suitable for export and what criteria are to be employed to recognize those countries. Thus, this article tries to estimate the "Iran's export capacity for saffron" and recognize "its target markets" for 2002- 06. The results are as follows: Fifty countries import saffron, but only 12 countries including, inter alia, the United States, France, Japan and Saudi Arabia are major importers thereof. Major importers of Iran's saffron are the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, France and Sweden. Iran's maximum export potential index for saffron suggest that 12 countries including Spain, Italy, the United States, Sweden, France, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Japan, Thailand, Australia, Argentina and Germany have most import potential for Iran's saffron. By virtue of idle import potential index for Iran's saffron in absolute terms (million dollars) during 2002- 06, the United States, Japan, Sweden and the United Kingdom emerge as the best target markets for Iran's saffron. According to the same index in relative terms (percent), the best target markets for Iran's saffron are the United States, Hong Kong, Belgium, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Norway and Italy with over 50 percent of their import potential being idle. Using eight criteria examined in the article reveals that countries such as the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Norway, Belgium and Italy are among the most important target markets for Iran's saffron.