The city of Taroudant in the south of Morocco organized the 13th edition of the International Saffron Festival from Friday to Sunday for local cooperatives operating in this rare spice.

This year’s edition of the International Saffron Festival was held between November 1st and 3rd under the theme “the saffron of Taliouine, leader of local products and lever of rural development.”

Specific to this edition, large stands were dedicated to local cooperatives that specialize in the production of Saffron. Other stands showcased craft and natural products such as argan, dates, henna, garlic, aromatic roses, honey and medicinal plants.

Saleh Aghzaf, the director Regional Agricultural Development Office in Ouarzazate, revealed during the kickoff of the event that the cultivation of Saffron takes up a total of 1780 hectares in Morocco. Aghzaf also disclosed that the annual production has reached 6.5 tons nation-wide.

The fair’s calendar included a wide variety of activities, such as shows, sports competitions, marketing and promotion workshops trainings for saffron farmers.

The International Saffron Festival has become a major event for the producers and marketers of this rare spice, which Morocco has been focusing on developing.

Iran dominates the production of saffron with over 100 tons of exports, representing 94% percent of the global yield. Morocco is one of the minor producers of the plant beside Spain, Italy, Greece,  India, and Azerbaijan.