Afghanistan's saffron has been named as the world's best saffron for the third year, as well. This significant status has been given to Afghanistan by International Taste and Quality Institute in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and is identified through a three star certificate. This award is a remarkable achievement by Afghanistan as the country hears pieces of news related to insecurity and grief mostly. Moreover, it is a good sign at a time when the country is considered as the largest producer of poppy. This means that the country has the opportunity of substituting poppy with saffron.
A study of Afghan agriculture would show the fact that poppy has always been there to threaten Afghan society and satisfy the international demands for drugs. The political uncertainty has played a large role in strengthening the production and business of this dangerous destroyer. Today, the poppy cultivation in Afghanistan can be connected to the system of organized crime and international drug mafia. At the same time, it has proved to be the source that offers financial support to Taliban insurgents. It is a crystal clear fact that the long lasting violence and insurgency of Taliban militants have been highly sponsored by the poppy business.
Besides that, it is also very vital to comprehend that poppy production and its business does not only influence Afghanistan by backing Taliban and bringing bad name to the nation but also by making Afghan people addict to it. It can be easily observed in Afghan society that there are thousands of addicts throughout the country. These addicts do not include the men alone but there are many women and children as well who have been victimized by the curse of drugs. And the most disastrous fact is that the number is swelling and the measures to curtail the situation are non-existent. Though international community on various occasions has hassled Afghan government to control the situation, serious worries still remain regarding any comprehensive and realistic strategy to solve the issue.
The institutions in Afghanistan that are given the task of controlling the situation do not have adequate ability and skill to control the situation and most of the times they are unable to take any initiative against the drug mafia who are far more influential and have more control over the situation. One of the key factors that international community has stressed on for continuing the financial support for Afghanistan is extermination of drugs. What will be the strategy of Afghan government regarding controlling this hazard has yet to be seen. There are different suggestions regarding controlling the poppy production and its spread in Afghanistan. One of the ways is to motivate the farmers not to grow the poppy crops from the very beginning and then there is another tactic that suggests for destroying the crops after they are grown. Both the methods can be useful for curbing the menace of drugs but it is more important to control the situation from the very beginning. Motivating farmers and landlords to grow alternative crops can be one of the best solutions as it is practicable as well and may bring the farmers and landlords profit as well. One of the alternative crops in this regard can be saffron. Saffron has different advantages as compared to poppy cultivation and among them the most important one is that it does not bring harm to human life, it is legal and does not go against the teachings of Islam. It is one of those crops that have the capability to be grown in dry environment.
Moreover, it does not need much irrigation as well. Simple irrigation two or three times a year would do the trick; in that sense, it is draught resistant. Poppy cultivation, in contrast, would require an extensive irrigation plan – six times a year. Saffron has different uses and, in fact, makes life healthier. The common use of saffron can be found in adding flavor to dishes, preparing different types of medicines, hot drinks, appetizers and perfumes. Moreover, it has demand in the international market as well.
According to market studies, the price of one kg of saffron is about USD 3,000 in Afghanistan and regionally it is around USD 6,000; while the international price may even reach to USD 8,000. This shows that it is very lucrative and can be used as one of the basic exports of Afghanistan. It is also important to mention that the demand for saffron is very high both in regional and international markets. What Afghan authorities and people require in this regard is iron will and determination to change the scenario. Yes, it is right that the producers of drugs have stronghold in our country, but unshakable decision both by government authorities and Afghan people can defeat them. If Afghan society is really interested in controlling the menace of drugs and stopping it from financing terrorism and bringing sufferings and death to common Afghan people through addiction, it has to launch a comprehensive strategy, among which the use of alternative crops can play a vital role. And, among alternative crops saffron can be the most practicable and lucrative.