epa12570164 Afghan women harvest saffron flowers in Herat, Afghanistan, 03 December 2025 (issued 04 December 2025). Herat?s saffron sector is expanding rapidly, with officials from the Herat Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock reporting a 15 percent rise in production and prices reaching 100,000 Afghanis per kilo. Nearly 10,000 hectares are now under cultivation, and Afghan saffron, often called red gold, is exported to more than 20 countries, including the US and several in Europe. The harvest season also creates major employment, especially for women, who play a key role in picking and processing. EPA/STRINGER
