BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 6
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
The first batch of saffron (crocus) bulbs was planted in the Bakhmal district of the Jizzakh region in Uzbekistan, Trend reports with reference to Dunyo news agency.
This project is carried out within the framework of a memorandum signed between Uzbekistan’s BMB Trade Group and Italy’s Opera SRL on the cultivation and industrial processing of saffron and other medicinal plants.
More than five million saffron bulbs were transported from the Italian city of Brescia to Uzbekistan.
The total project cost amounted to over €68 million, half of which is foreign direct investment. Most of the investment will be directed towards the purchase and supply of high quality saffron bulbs.
“In the near future, another 75 million bulbs are expected to arrive for planting on the 400 hectares allocated for the project. The project is expected to create about 200 permanent and 7,000 seasonal jobs for the local population”, said Executive Director of BMB Trade Group Abdurashid Sharafutdinov.
“Our company, together with the Italian Opera SRL, will create additional production facilities in the saffron cluster for the production of finished products in demand in cooking, pharmaceuticals and other industries within the framework of the project,” said the commercial director of BMB Trade Group Mirzamurod Dadajonov.
In addition, a long-term export contract for the supply of processed and packaged saffron products worth €12 million has already been signed with GESFARM Italian Company, which supplies products to more than 5,000 pharmacies in Italy.
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