KABUL, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Saffron production in Afghanistan has soared to record levels in 2019, with a 22 percent increase compared to last year, Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock said Wednesday.
"The latest statistics showed that saffron or so-called 'red gold' production increased 22 percent, reaching 19,469 kg this year, which is about 20 metric tons," the ministry said in a statement.
The statement added that more than 7,557 hectares of land were for cultivated saffron across the country this year. The country produced 16 tons of saffron last year, according to the statement.
Nearly 90 percent of saffron production is exported abroad.
"Saffron farmers would receive some 27 million U.S. dollars in revenues from this year's harvest," the statement noted.
In local Afghan markets, 1 kg of saffron is priced at 50,000 afghani (about 634 U.S. dollars) to 90,000 afghani (about 1,147 U.S. dollars), depending on the quality, according to agriculture ministry officials.
