Following the increasing needs arising from the Kozani Saffron Producers Cooperative opening to the Chinese and Vietnamese markets, the coop has decided to invest approximately €2 million towards a 3-storey packing facility for the world-famous Kozani red saffron. The unit is expected to be completed by August 2020 and to employ 60 people. The packing facility will be housed in one of the storeys of the building, while the other two will house an event venue and a museum dedicated to the history of the Kozami saffron or Krokos Kozanis PDO, as it is officially known. The initial investment amounts to €1.5 million, while the second phase of the development will require €500,000 for the design the exteriors.
It is worth noting that the implementation of the investment has been the concern of the Cooperative for the last five years. The building will cover an area of about 1,000 square meters and will be erected on a plot of 2,000 square meters.
Exports to China and Taiwan
In the meantime, there are only some final checks by Chinese authorities left before the Kozani saffron hits the country’s shelves. The Greek product will be available in delicatessen stores within the next days. “The license we were given is for pharmaceutical use, although Iranian saffron is already in the local super markets”, explains Mr Patsiouras, President of the Kozani Saffron Producers Cooperative, while he also asserting that the procedures for entering the Vietnam market were faster, and the product is already sold packaged in delicatessens.
The President of the Cooperative noted that 2019 was not a very good year regarding saffron production because of the draught. It should be noted that in 2018 production reached 5 tons with a €7 million turnover.
