Saffron (trade) by far the world's most important producer: in 2005 it grossed some of dry threads, or 93.7 percent of the year's global total mass; much of the Iranian crop was bound for export. Northeasterly Khorasan Province, which in 2004 was divided in three, grows 95 percent of Iranian saffron: the hinterlands of Birjand, Ghayen, Ferdows in South Khorasan Province, along with areas abutting Gonabad and Torbat-e Heydarieh in Razavi Khorasan Province, are its key cropping areas. During 2004, Iran was not a member of the World Trade Organization. and still until November 2009, Iran was again not a member of
Saffron (preferably) sealed in airtight containers. One freshly picked flower yields an average of fresh saffron or dried; roughly 150 flowers yield of dry saffron threads; to produce of dried saffron, of flowers are needed; yields of dried saffron. To glean of dry saffron requires the harvest of 50,000–75,000 flowers; a kilogram requires 110,000–170,000 flowers. Forty hours of labour are needed to pick 150,000 flowers. Saffron contains more than 150 volatile and aroma-yielding compounds. It also has many nonvolatile active components, many of which are carotenoids, including zeaxanthin, lycopene, and various α- and β-carotenes. However, saffron's golden yellow-orange colour is primarily