TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 10. BMB-Opera Zafferano, an Italian-Uzbek joint venture in Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region, has ambitious plans to export saffron valued at 10 million euros by the end of 2023, Trend reports.
As per the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan, this remarkable growth trajectory signifies the increasing global demand for saffron and Uzbekistan's rising prominence in saffron cultivation.
Over the past three years, BMB-Opera Zafferano has established itself as a key player in the saffron export market, as the company successfully exported approximately 2,000 tons of saffron from 2020 through 2022, generating a total revenue of 11.7 million euros.
Breaking down the export figures, in 2020, the company recorded saffron exports amounting to 1.8 million euros, followed by a notable surge to 4.2 million euros in 2021. By 2022, the saffron export numbers reached an impressive 5.7 million euros, paving the way for the company's ambitious 2023 target.
Saffron cultivated by BMB-Opera Zafferano is in high demand in several countries, including Italy, Austria, South Korea, the US, Saudi Arabia, and Tajikistan.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s trade turnover amounted to $40 billion from January through August 2023, which is 23.2 percent ($7.5 billion) more compared to the same period last year.
Of these, the volume of exports amounted to $16.4 billion, an increase of 27.8 percent compared to 2022 statistics.
