The harvest
Every Zarrin thread travels a short road from flower to pack, and it passes through hands: picked in Aban, the stigma separated, dried the traditional way, tested for colour and packed to the buyer's order.
The fields of Qaen in Aban
The saffron flower opens in the fields of Qaen in the month of Aban, and that is when we harvest it.
Each flower is picked one by one, by hand. The saffron crocus has six violet petals and, at its centre, three red stigma threads; the same threads that become saffron once they are separated and dried.
Picking by hand is slow work, but it keeps the flower intact and brings the stigma undamaged to the next step.
From field to package
Five stations, one thread. Every shipment we send from Qaen has travelled this road.
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Aban
Picking the flowers by hand
Saffron flowers in the fields of Qaen are picked one by one, by hand.
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After picking
Separating the stigma
The three red threads of each flower are separated by hand from petals and style.
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The traditional way
Traditional drying
The threads are dried the traditional way so they keep their colour and aroma.
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The laboratory
Quality testing
Colouring strength is measured; our saffron is above 260 crocin and comes with the ISIRI certificate.
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Your order
Packing
From 1 g packs up to 500 g, or bulk for exporters.
Since 1372 in the Iranian calendar
Zarrin Khorasan Saffron has been producing saffron in Qaen, South Khorasan, since the year 1372 of the Iranian calendar.
The way we work has stayed simple over the years: we pick the flowers by hand in Aban, dry the stigmas the traditional way and measure the colour before packing.
Today the same saffron goes to the UAE, Germany, Spain and Japan, and alongside it we advise buyers and exporters on choosing the grade and the packaging.
- Active since 1372
- Qaen, South Khorasan
- Hand-picked in Aban
- Traditionally dried