Iran has exported over $14 million of saffron to the United Arab Emirates, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Italy over the past 8 months.

The UAE saffron import from Iran stays at $7.393 million, much higher than Spain whose saffron import has been put at $4.430 million, according to the latest statistics released by the Iranian Customs Office.

Saudi Arabia which has shown a keen interest in the world's most delicate spice, imports over $1 million from Iran.

In the first six months of the current Iranian year (started March 21, 2007) the value of Iran's saffron exports reached about $16 million.

Five countries including the UAE, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Italy are major importers of saffron from Iran.

Some 210 tons of saffron are produced annually world over. Iran, which produces 184 (81 percent) tons of total production, is the world's largest saffron producer.

But Spain, which produces a slender amount of just five tons, has won the bulk of the world market.

MRD/FH/PA