The world’s most expensive spice is Saffron. Only one of 75 species of crocus can produce saffron and 90% of it comes from Iran selling for as much as $1,600 to $5,000 per pound. Collecting the 3 stigmas from each individual Saffron Crocus blossom by hand is insanely labor intensive. Each pound of saffron requires about 225,000 stigmas; at three per plant, that’s about 75,000 plants grown over an area the size of a football field. This one-pound harvest takes the better part of a week.
