Why has saffron, with less than 25 years in Afghan trade, achieved such a prominent position?

The full answer to this question is extensive, but part of it comes down to the right production conditions and timing:

• Saffron was promoted in Afghanistan at an exceptional time; a period marked by global attention, international aid, and the need for an alternative to poppy cultivation.
• Herat’s climate was highly favorable for saffron cultivation. Even droughts and climate fluctuations had less impact on it compared to other agricultural products.
• Saffron was a new product. This novelty encouraged producers to focus seriously on learning, improving quality, and refining their methods from the outset.
• The absence of outdated, traditional structures in production created space for rapid growth in both the quality and quantity of the saffron.

These factors allowed the saffron production cycle to develop quickly and gain the trust of foreign markets.