Greek saffron, known as the "red gold" of the Greek land, is expected to soon reach the Chinese market, landing on the shelves of Chinese shops by the beginning of 2019.  Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA), President of the Kozani Saffron Producers Cooperative Nikos Patsiouras noted that entering the Chinese market had been a very long and arduous process but one that, if successful, will greatly benefit both saffron producers and the Greek economy as a whole. "It appears to be heading toward a good outcome...For four days a Chinese delegation that was in Kozani from October 31 went over everything with a fine-tooth comb and I believe that, by the end of the current year or early 2019 at the latest, our saffron will be imported as a spice in the distant and vast Chinese market," he added. Greek saffron is produced exclusively in the northern Greek region of Kozani. The cultivated areas cover up to 600 hectares, with about 100 of them being used exclusively for organic cultivation. Approximately 1,000 families in the region earn their income by cultivating the saffron plant. One kilo of saffron sells for between 1,350-1,500 euros. The yield for every 1,000 square metres of cultivated land is between 700 grams and 1 kilo of the product.  According to Patsiouras, nearly 85,000 flowers are required to yield a single kilo of fresh saffron stigmas, with one kilo of fresh stigmas reduced to 200 grams of dried final product. This year's production is estimated at 2 tons, down by over 50 pct compared to previous years due to the prolonged dry weather. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Saravask  License: CC-BY-SA