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A drought, a gift and the magic of saffron — how a Karoo farmer discovered a golden lifesaver

Saffron risotto. Photo: Myburgh du Plessis/Human & Rousseau

9 Feb 2025

When the dry weather threatened his livelihood, Karoo farmer Joe Kroon turned to saffron, which proved to be a flourishing business.

Parts of the Eastern Cape, including the Karoo around Graaff-Reinet, were in the grips of a devastating drought from 2016.

Joe Kroon, farming on his family farm Karri Grove in Kendrew, just outside Graaff-Reinet, was watching his animals die, as there had been no rain for years. The Kendrew area used to have irrigation systems, but the water rights were bought when Nqweba Dam outside the town was built and the canal system supplying water to farms was subsequently closed.

“I even cashed in life policies just to keep feeding the animals,” Kroon said.

But then saffron came into his life.

“I had obtained an import permit for saffron seeds from Europe a few years back, but I didn’t have money to order any, so another farmer asked if he could take over my permit. I said yes. Then, after a while, he brought me a whole bakkie full of seeds to say thank you.”

Saffron Jan Kroon. (Photo Supplied)

These 300,000 “gift seeds” are now half a hectare of crocus flowers that yield a crop that sells for R280,000 per kilogram.

While he waited for this harvest, Kroon also started making lamb bacon and warthog salami, and he planted hemp.

Kroon said that part of what makes the saffron crocus ideal for the Karoo summer is that it doesn’t need any water during the hottest part of the summer.

“The plant can withstand temperatures of up to 44°C,” he said.

“We will start watering now at the end of February and then we will harvest eight to 10 weeks later,” he said.

The harvesting of the flowers is labour-intensive. “We use casual labour for it,” he said, but recounted that once, when the crocuses started blooming a day or two early, he couldn’t find anybody to work and had to do the harvesting himself. “I was very tired,” Kroon laughed.

The stigmas of the crocus flower are then carefully removed and dried in the sun before being packed into glass jars, labelled and shipped.

“We get a lot of compliments about the flavour of our saffron,” he said.

Saffron Part of what makes the saffron crocus ideal for the Karoo summer is that it doesn’t need any water during the hottest part of the season. (Photo: Estelle Ellis)

The stigmas of about 150 flowers are hand-picked to yield a single gram of saffron. (Photo: Estelle Ellis)

Crocus Sativus stigmas. (Photo: Estelle Ellis)

Photo: Estelle Ellis

A lot of the Karoo Saffron, as his product is known, is exported to the US, as the country has imposed sanctions on the world’s biggest grower, Iran.

Kroon said it has been a learning curve for him. “I was talking to some merchants the other day and they told me about fake saffron. People are colouring the hair of a mielie to look like saffron.

“That is why the merchants like to see that our saffron has that little bit of green at the bottom of the stigma. It proves that it is fresh and real.”

He said that after the saffron is dried, a jeweller’s scale is used to weigh it as it is measured in milligrams.

Some of the Karoo Saffron goes to Cape Town, where an Italian chef makes a special Karoo Saffron sauce. Part of the harvest is also used for health supplements.

Photo: Louis Pieterse

What is saffron?

Saffron is the dried stigma of the Crocus Sativus flower and is harvested when the flowers are in full bloom. The stigmas of about 150 flowers must be hand-picked to yield a single gram of saffron.

Where is it grown in South Africa?

A few farmers are growing saffron in places such as Touws River, Graaff-Reinet and Calvinia in the Karoo. With its cold winters and hot summers, this area has the right climate for it.

What does it cost?

Saffron is the most precious spice in the world. Farmer Joe Kroon said Karoo Saffron is sold for R280,000 per kilogram.

What is saffron used for?

It’s known for both its aroma and flavour in cooking, and for its numerous medicinal properties. It has proven benefits as an antioxidant, and studies in 2017 and 2023 confirmed that it can have appetite-suppressing and weight-loss benefits. A literature review published in 2024 confirmed its potential to relieve premenstrual syndrome. There is continuing research to study its potential to fight cancer.

How is it harvested?

Saffron is harvested by hand. The stigmas must also be removed carefully by hand. DM

Saffron risotto. (Photo: Myburgh du Plessis / Human & Rousseau)

Recipe: Saffron risotto

Don’t be shocked by the amount of saffron used in this dish. In essence, if you’re buying one of those mini-tubs of saffron strands, you’re tipping the whole thing in, okay? Come now, be strong. It’s the hero of the dish, not some sad wallflower hiding in the shadows.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Saffron, coveted stigma

Saffron is coming out into the full glare of the spotlight here, and taking a bow at the end of the meal.

Recipe: Saffron Risotto

Ingredients:

1 litre homemade chicken stock

1 bottle good-quality Sauvignon Blanc

1 Tbsp saffron threads

60ml hot water

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cups (500 ml) arborio rice

100g unsalted butter

1 medium onion, very finely chopped

1 clove garlic, smashed

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 cup (250 ml) finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Instructions:

Heat the chicken stock. Add the Sauvignon Blanc and heat until it starts to simmer, then turn off the heat.

Add the saffron to 60ml hot water and leave to infuse.

In a large heavy-bottom pot, heat the olive oil and add all the arborio rice.

Stir continuously so that every grain of rice is coated. Add the butter, then the chopped onion and garlic.

Add a ladleful of heated chicken stock and wine broth at a time, stirring continuously, then add more and stir again, until the rice has puffed up and softened.

Add the saffron, in its water, to the rice, stir and simmer for 5 minutes.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Finally, stir in most of the Parmigiano Reggiano, leaving some to scatter on the risotto once plated.

– Tony Jackman

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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