07/04/2026 Slow Food Santa Fe edition

In 2023, Dr. Said Samasy moved from Iran to New Mexico and noticed something familiar: the high elevation, semi-arid climate, and abundant sunshine looked a lot like the saffron-growing regions of northeastern Iran. That observation, combined with the economic struggles of small farmers in the state, led him to launch a research program at New Mexico State University’s Sustainable Agriculture Science Center in Alcalde. The goal: see if saffron—a spice that retails for $14 to $75 per gram in the U.S.—could become a viable, high-value, low-water crop for Northern New Mexico.

Why Saffron Fits New Mexico’s Conditions

Saffron is a fall- and winter-growing perennial. Corms (bulb-like structures) are planted between mid-August and mid-September, flowers appear from mid-October to early November, and leaves grow through late May. Then the plant goes dormant through the summer—leaves dry up, and nothing is visible above ground. This dormancy is a key advantage in the Southwest. “During summertime, it’s the dormant phase of saffron,” Samasy explained. “It doesn’t like so much moisture, and New Mexico and Southwest conditions are much better to produce saffron.” Because the crop is inactive during the hottest, driest months, it doesn’t compete with summer crops for water. That opens the door to intercropping: farmers could grow chili or shallow-root vegetables in the same field duri