Short answer: Saffron is the red stigma of the saffron flower. In Iran, the flowers usually open from early November, and the harvest lasts a few weeks. They are picked by hand early in the morning, before the sun makes them wilt. On the same day, the red stigmas are separated from each flower by hand and then dried. After that, the saffron is sorted by grade, tested in a laboratory and packed. It takes about 150 flowers to make one gram of saffron.
This guide follows a saffron thread step by step, from a field in Iran to your kitchen in Malaysia, and explains why saffron costs so much.
Why Iran?
Iran produces around 90% of the world’s saffron (Wikipedia), most of it in the Khorasan region in the north-east of the country (Foreign Policy, 2026). Towns such as Torbat-e Heydarieh, Qaen and Gonabad are the best-known growing areas, and Torbat-e Heydarieh is known as “the land of red gold” (Tehran Times). The saffron flower needs hot, dry summers and a cool autumn, which is exactly the climate of Khorasan.
Step 1: Planting the corms (summer)
Saffron doesn’t grow from seed. The plant is sterile and spreads only through its corms, a kind of bulb (Wikipedia). Farmers usually plant the corms in early summer, about 7–15 cm deep. Each corm lives for one season, but it produces up to ten smaller corms that grow into new plants the next year. That is why one field can give a harvest for several years in a row.
Step 2: Flowering (autumn)
The purple saffron flowers open only once a year, in autumn. In Khorasan, the harvest usually begins in early November (Tehran Times), and all the flowers in a field open within one or two weeks. So the whole year’s crop has to be picked in a few short weeks.
Step 3: Picking the flowers, early and by hand
Saffron flowers wilt quickly in the daytime sun, so picking starts at dawn. No machine does this work: every flower is picked by hand. One kilogram of dried saffron needs about 150,000 flowers, and picking that many flowers alone takes around 40 hours of manual work (Wikipedia).
Step 4: Separating the stigmas (the same day)
Each flower has three red stigmas joined to a yellow or white part called the style. On the same day, the threads are separated from the flowers by hand. This is where the grade of the saffron is decided:
| If… | Result |
|---|---|
| Only the red part of the thread is kept | Negin and Super Negin (the top grades) |
| Some of the yellow part is left on | Pushal |
| The whole thread with the style, in bunches | Dasteh (bunch saffron) |
The yellow part is a natural part of the saffron flower and is not fraud, but it has less colour and aroma. We explain every grade and the differences between them in our guide to saffron grades.
Step 5: Drying
Fresh threads need to be dried quickly after they are separated (Wikipedia). Drying is a very important step, because this is when saffron’s aroma (safranal) forms, and when its colour is either kept or lost.
- The traditional Iranian method: the threads are spread on cloth or paper and left to dry slowly at room temperature, in the shade.
- Newer methods: machines and dryers with controlled conditions.
A 2020 study in Iran’s Journal of Saffron Research found that newer methods such as microwave and freeze drying kept quality better than traditional shade drying, although no method keeps every quality perfectly (Mollafilabi et al., 2020).
Saffron that hasn’t been dried properly is heavier, so you pay for water, and it also spoils sooner. That is why laboratories measure moisture too.
Step 6: Sorting and cleaning
Once dry, the threads are sorted by colour, length and grade. Broken threads, yellow bits and anything else are removed. For Super Negin, only whole, long, deep red threads are chosen. This work is also done mostly by hand.
Step 7: Laboratory testing
You can’t judge saffron quality by eye. Laboratories measure the following under the international standard ISO 3632:
| Test | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Colouring strength (crocin) | How much colour the saffron gives |
| Bitterness (picrocrocin) | Its taste |
| Aroma (safranal) | Its smell |
| Moisture | Whether it has been dried properly |
| Foreign matter and added colour | Whether anything else has been mixed in |
The latest test of our Super Negin saffron, at the FAM laboratory in Mashhad, Iran (November 2026), gave: colouring strength 263 (Grade 1 needs at least 200), bitterness 88 (at least 80), safranal 20 (range 20–50), moisture 6.2% (at most 10%), and a negative result for added colour and foreign matter. Our saffron is ISO 3632 Category I.
Step 8: Packing and the journey to Malaysia
Saffron is packed in airtight containers to protect it from moisture, light and air. Exporting saffron legally from Iran requires trade permits, health permits and a laboratory report. Our saffron is legally imported into Malaysia, and orders are dispatched within 1 working day after payment. To keep it fresh after you buy it, see how to store saffron.
So why is saffron so expensive?
- Each flower has only three stigmas, and one gram needs about 150 flowers.
- Picking, separating and sorting are all done by hand.
- The whole year’s harvest happens in just a few weeks.
- Drying, testing and legal export add further costs.
Even so, because you only need a tiny amount, each serving costs very little. See how many threads are in 1 gram of saffron and our guide to saffron prices in Malaysia.
Frequently asked questions
When is saffron harvested?
In Iran, usually from early November, for a few weeks.
Why are saffron flowers picked so early in the morning?
Because the flowers wilt quickly in the daytime sun.
How many flowers does it take to make 1 gram of saffron?
About 150 flowers.
Is saffron harvested by machine?
No. Picking the flowers and separating the stigmas are done by hand.
Can saffron be grown in Malaysia?
The saffron flower needs dry summers and cool winters. Malaysia’s hot, humid climate is not suitable for growing it commercially.
What is the difference between Negin and Pushal?
Negin is only the red part; Pushal also has some of the yellow part. Read more in our guide to saffron grades.
Want to know how to spot the real thing? Read fake or original saffron. Ready to buy? See where to buy authentic Iranian saffron in Malaysia.