MNA � Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hossein Shirzad lashed out at Iran�s meager share in saffron production in the international level and revealed the start of cooperation between Iranian Rural Cooperatives Central Organization and UN�s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the field of saffron value chain.







He, who is CEO of Central Organization for Rural Cooperatives of Iran (CORC), pointed to the recent cooperation between Central Organization for Rural Cooperatives of Iran and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with regard to the saffron value chain and said, �following the readiness of the Islamic Republic of Iran�s mission to establish close relationship between this organization and FAO within the framework of developing domestic product marketing capabilities and improving production and export potential of rural and agricultural cooperatives network, an official correspondence has been conducted with the mentioned office in Italy in this respect.�

In addition to the key role of the Organization and network of rural and agricultural cooperatives in the agricultural sector of the country especially its functions in the market and commercial development of agricultural products, the Organization has expressed its readiness to cooperate with the European parties especially in the field of marketing and developing products with the centrality of saffron, he maintained.

According to FAO�s proposal, bilateral cooperation will be made through FAO Investment Center with regard to the implementation of plan on the development of saffron value chain, the deputy minister of agriculture observed.

Art the initiative taken by the Central Organization for Rural Cooperatives of Iran, quality control (QC) of the product and determination of the grade of saffron will be conducted by equipped laboratories and also expert engineers according to the morphological characteristics, he opined.

Currently, Iran�s share of global saffron market is low and it is expected that cooperation between the Central Organization and FAO will bear fruit in coming years, the deputy minister of agriculture concluded.