Saffron
Saffron is the dried stigma of the flower of Crocus sativus, a sterile autumn flowering corm propagated by division and grown in dry continental and Mediterranean climates. Each flower carries three red stigmas, picked by hand on the morning the flower opens and dried the same day, which is why it is the most expensive spice by weight in world trade. It is used as a colouring and flavouring ingredient in rice and grain dishes, confectionery, dairy, baking and beverages across Persian, South Asian, Mediterranean and Nordic cooking, and as a natural colourant and extract.
Listed saffron markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Saffron is graded by the ISO 3632 laboratory categories, which measure colouring strength, flavour and aroma directly by spectrophotometry.
ISO 3632 categories
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Category IHighest colouring strength band under ISO 3632 | Assigned from the crocin absorbance at 440 nanometres, with the picrocrocin and safranal readings also within the band. |
| Category IIMiddle colouring strength band under ISO 3632 | Same three readings, one band lower. |
| Category IIILowest colouring strength band under ISO 3632 | Same three readings, the lowest band the standard recognises. |
| Colouring strength, crocinAbsorbance at 440 nanometres on a dry basis | The measurement the category is primarily set by. Determined by ISO 3632-2. |
| Bitterness, picrocrocinAbsorbance at 257 nanometres on a dry basis | The flavour measurement under ISO 3632-2. |
| Aroma, safranalAbsorbance at 330 nanometres on a dry basis | The aroma measurement under ISO 3632-2. Too high a figure indicates over drying or age. |
Filament composition and presentation
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| All red, stigma onlyStyle removed | Only the red stigma, with the yellow style cut away. The highest colouring strength per unit weight. |
| Stigma with attached stylePercentage of style by mass | The style is yellow and contributes little colour, so its proportion is limited by contract. |
| Style and floral wasteMaximum percentage by mass | Yellow style, stamens and petal fragments, weighed after hand separation. |
| PowderMilled, with the ISO 3632 reading reported on the powder | Powder is contracted only against the analysis, because visual verification is impossible once milled. |
| Filament lengthMillimetres | Measured on a drawn sample where a buyer specifies presentation. |
| Extraneous matterMaximum percentage by mass | Determined per ISO 927. |
Authenticity and analytical requirements
10 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Moisture and volatile matterMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 3632-2. Added moisture is the simplest way to add weight, so the limit is tight. |
| Total ashMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 3632-2. |
| Acid insoluble ashMaximum percentage by mass | Determined by ISO 3632-2. |
| Solubility in cold waterMaximum percentage by mass | A check on water soluble additions used to build weight. |
| Artificial colourantAbsence, by chromatography | Tests for added tartrazine, sunset yellow, azo dyes and other unauthorised colour. Contracted as absent. |
| Foreign plant materialAbsence, by microscopy and DNA analysis | Tests for safflower, marigold, calendula, maize stigma and dyed plant fibre presented as saffron. |
| Glycerol, honey and sugar loadingAbsence, by chromatography | A recognised weight adulteration route. |
| Geographic origin verificationIsotope ratio and trace element analysis | Used where an origin designation carries a premium. |
| Pesticide residuesMilligrams per kilogram | Tested against destination market maximum residue limits. |
| Microbiological limitsColony forming units per gram, and absence of Salmonella in a stated mass | Contracted to destination market limits. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Iran | Middle East | Origin |
| Afghanistan | South Asia | Origin |
| India | South Asia | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Greece | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Morocco | Africa | Origin |
| Italy | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Turkiye | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Azerbaijan | Central Asia | Origin |
| Tajikistan | Central Asia | Origin |
| China | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| France | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Portugal | Europe | Origin |
| Switzerland | Europe | Origin and destination |
| Netherlands | Europe | Destination |
| Germany | Europe | Destination |
| United Kingdom | Europe | Destination |
| Sweden | Europe | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Middle East | Origin and destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Middle East | Destination |
| Qatar | Middle East | Destination |
| Kuwait | Middle East | Destination |
| Iraq | Middle East | Destination |
| Pakistan | South Asia | Destination |
| Japan | East Asia | Destination |
| South Korea | East Asia | Destination |
| Hong Kong | East Asia | Origin and destination |
| Singapore | Southeast Asia | Origin and destination |
| United States | North America | Destination |
| Canada | North America | Destination |
| Mexico | North America | Destination |
| Australia | Oceania | Destination |
| New Zealand | Oceania | Destination |
| Argentina | South America | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Saffron is a single, very short autumn harvest at every origin in the world. The whole crop is picked and dried within a few weeks, so the market prices a full year of demand against one window.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iran | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Oct to Nov, arrival Nov to FebKhorasan harvests over a few weeks from late October into November. The dominant origin in world trade. | |||||||
| Afghanistan | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Oct to Nov, arrival Nov to FebHerat harvests from late October into November. | |||||||
| India | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Oct to Nov, arrival Nov to JanPampore in Kashmir harvests from late October into November. | ||||||||
| Spain | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Oct to Nov, arrival Nov to JanCastilla La Mancha harvests from late October into November. | ||||||||
| Greece | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Oct to Nov, arrival Nov to JanKozani harvests from late October into November. | ||||||||
| Morocco | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Oct to Nov, arrival Nov to JanTaliouine harvests from late October into November. | ||||||||
| Italy | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Oct to Nov, arrival Nov to JanAbruzzo, Sardinia and Tuscany harvest from late October into November. | ||||||||
| Azerbaijan | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Harvest Oct to Nov, arrival Nov to JanAbsheron harvests from late October into November. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for saffron. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading0910.20 Saffron
- PackingAir tight tins or foil laminate pouches of 100 g to 5 kg inside cartons, held dark and dry. Sold by the gram, never in bags.
- Container loadingAirfreight or courier against a valuation. A single carton is a full commercial shipment.
- Contract and arbitrationSale on ISO 3632 category with a laboratory certificate for crocin, picrocrocin and safranal, plus moisture and floral waste. Retained sealed sample on both sides.
- Destination limitsEU: aflatoxin B1 and total limits under Regulation 2023/915, ochratoxin A limits, pesticide MRLs under Regulation 396/2005, and Salmonella absence in 25 g. Ethylene oxide is not authorised in the EU and remains the most common rejection cause on spice. US: FDA FSMA preventive controls and ASTA cleanliness, with standing import alerts for Salmonella on several origins.
Common questions
What grades of saffron does SIP Global trade?
We quote 22 published grades of saffron, including Category I - Highest colouring strength band under ISO 3632, Category II - Middle colouring strength band under ISO 3632, Category III - Lowest colouring strength band under ISO 3632, Colouring strength, crocin - Absorbance at 440 nanometres on a dry basis, Bitterness, picrocrocin - Absorbance at 257 nanometres on a dry basis and Aroma, safranal - Absorbance at 330 nanometres on a dry basis. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is saffron graded?
Saffron is graded by the ISO 3632 laboratory categories, which measure colouring strength, flavour and aroma directly by spectrophotometry. Grading runs on 3 systems: ISO 3632 categories, Filament composition and presentation and Authenticity and analytical requirements.
Where does SIP Global trade saffron?
We trade saffron in Iran, Afghanistan, India, Spain, Greece, Morocco, Italy and Turkiye and 26 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is saffron harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Iran: harvest oct to nov, arrival nov to feb; Afghanistan: harvest oct to nov, arrival nov to feb; India: harvest oct to nov, arrival nov to jan; Spain: harvest oct to nov, arrival nov to jan; Greece: harvest oct to nov, arrival nov to jan. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for saffron?
Saffron is normally classified under HS 0910.20 (saffron). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for saffron?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 3 listed saffron markets are published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.