Afghanistan’s Saffron Festival in Herat Begins Amid Hopes and Climate Concerns

The 10th annual Saffron Flower Festival has kicked off in Herat province, Afghanistan, and is scheduled to run for three days. A total of 82 companies involved in saffron production and processing are showcasing their products at the event. The festival serves as an opportunity to promote Afghanistan’s saffron industry nationally and beyond its borders.

However, officials from the Afghan Saffron Growers’ Union warn that climate change, particularly drought, has had a negative impact on saffron yields. Mohammad Ebrahim Adel, the union’s president, stated that although a harvest of 70 tons had been predicted for this year, actual production has been limited to around 40 tons—a figure similar to last year’s.

Adel emphasized that educating farmers on advanced saffron cultivation techniques and promoting drought-resistant farming systems could help offset the decline in output. He described climate change as a serious threat to the future of saffron farming in the country.

Despite the drop in production, saffron prices have risen in Afghan domestic markets. This increase reflects both the scarcity of the valuable spice and its untapped export potential—a potential that remains largely unrealized due to a lack of support from the Taliban administration.

The Taliban government has responded passively to the crisis, lacking any clear program to support farmers. The absence of technical assistance and proper irrigation facilities has led many farmers in drier regions to abandon saffron cultivation altogether—a trend that could severely threaten the saffron industry in Afghanistan in the years ahead.