US EditionNew to South Africa, saffron holds promise
- Livestock farmer Joe Kroon began cultivating saffron near Graaf Reinet in the Karoo region about five years ago to save his livelihood from drought.
- Kroon started saffron farming after severe drought threatened his income and after government offered no assistance, prompting him to import bulbs from the Netherlands.
- Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice, derived from red stigmas of a delicate purple flower, with around 150,000 flowers required to produce one kilogram.
- Ross Blakeway, Kroon’s partner, expects this season’s Karoo Saffron yield to reach about six kilograms, nearly double last year’s output, for the domestic market.
- Saffron farming in South Africa offers a low-water, labor-intensive crop with promising financial returns that could diversify agriculture and benefit emerging farmers.
13 Articles
13 Articles
SA cultivates world's most expensive spice with 'jaw-dropping' returns for farmers
Saffron – the world’s most expensive spice – is being farmed in the Northern Cape on a small scale. But the returns are mind-boggling. Spearheaded by pioneers like Saffricon, this spicy venture promises not only substantial financial rewards but also a chance to revitalise drought-stricken agricultural landscapes. Livestock farmer Joe Kroon, from the arid Karoo region near Graaff-Reinet, turned to saffron five years ago out of desperation when s…
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New to South Africa, saffron holds promise
Livestock farmer Joe Kroon turned to saffron in desperation when drought threatened his livelihood and, as this season's harvest winds down, he is encouraged by the potential of a new entry into South Africa's farming catalogue.
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