The first Saffron Festival opened in Kabul on Monday to encourage the farmers to increase cultivation and production of the product in the country.

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) officials said according to their predictions, this year eight tons of saffron will be harvested.

Agriculture ministry spokesman, Lotfullah Rashid, said this year farmers had cultivated saffron in 10 acres of land in 14 provinces of Kabul and 14kg saffron have been produced from these lands.

“This year our aim was to cultivate saffron in 3 000 acres of land in 31 provinces. The goal was to increase saffron production to eight tons. Our information now shows that 3 500 acres of land has been used to cultivate saffron and over eight tons will be harvested,” Rashid said.

Farmers attending the saffron festival have urged the government to implement more plans to promote saffron cultivation in the country.

“Saffron cultivation should be promoted, and the farmers should be supported,” Ahmad Shah, a farmer said.

“I cultivated saffron on one acre of land which is not enough. The marketing of saffron should be promoted in the country,” Zeyarat Gul, another farmer said.

The farmers also said saffron is being sold for good prices in the world’s markets and that it can take place of poppy fields in the country.

MAIL officials said their findings show that Afghanistan is a good place for saffron cultivation because of its good weather.

Economic analysts have urged MAIL to facilitate saffron cultivation to reach its goals in terms of promoting the sought-after product.