Why saffron is sold by the gram, how to work out the price per tola, Super Negin vs Sargol vs Pushal, and five two-minute home tests to spot fake zafran before you buy in Pakistan.
One seller offers "saffron" at a few hundred rupees. Another asks over a thousand for a single gram. Which one is actually zafran, and why the gap? Real saffron in Pakistan is sold by the gram for a simple reason: every thread is picked by hand from a flower that gives only three. Britannica puts it at about 75,000 blossoms for one pound of saffron, roughly 165 flowers for every gram. Cheap "saffron" usually skips that work.
This guide covers what drives the price per gram, the grades (Super Negin, Sargol, Pushal) and five home tests you can do in two minutes.
Key takeaways
- Saffron (zafran, kesar) is the dried red stigma of the Crocus sativus flower. Around 165 flowers make one gram.
- Price follows grade: all-red Super Negin costs the most, threads with yellow parts cost less.
- Real saffron colours warm water slowly, golden-yellow, while the thread stays red. Instant red water points to dye.
- Buy threads, not powder. Powder is the easiest thing to fake.
- 3 to 4 threads per cup is enough. One gram lasts about 40 to 50 cups.
Saffron is the dried stigma of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Each purple flower has three red stigmas, picked by hand in autumn and dried. In Pakistan it goes by zafran, kesar or saffron, and it is the reason kheer, biryani, Peshawari kahwa and Eid desserts turn golden.
You only ever use a pinch. That is why buying the right gram matters more than buying a big box.
Saffron is costly because it cannot be machine-harvested. Workers pick each stigma by hand, the flowers bloom for a few weeks a year, and about 165 flowers go into one gram.
What changes the price you see in Pakistan:
Our price, for reference: Desi Nectar's Herat saffron (Super Negin) is a 1 g glass jar at Rs. 1,200 (checked 26 October 2026). Prices change with each harvest, so check the 1 gram Herat saffron page for today's price.
Saffron is sold by the gram. One tola is about 11.66 grams, so to compare a "per tola" price, multiply the gram price by 11.66.
| Amount | At our current price (Rs 1,200 per 1 g jar) |
|---|---|
| 1 gram | Rs 1,200 |
| 10 grams | Rs 12,000 (10 jars) |
| 1 tola (about 11.66 g) | about Rs 13,990 (11.66 × 1,200 = 13,992) |
We sell saffron in 1 gram jars, not by the tola, and delivery on saffron is free on every order. Prices change with each harvest, so the product page always has today's price. If someone offers a tola for much less than about 12 times their gram price, ask what grade it is (see Pushal below).
| Grade | What you see | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Super Negin | Long, thick, all-red threads, no yellow | Kesar doodh, kahwa, gifting; strongest colour per thread |
| Sargol | Shorter red tips only, some broken pieces | Everyday cooking, biryani, kheer |
| Pushal | Red threads with some yellow-orange style attached | Budget use; you need more threads |
| Konge / style | Only the yellow-white part | Adds little colour; often mixed in to add weight |
For daily cups of saffron milk, Super Negin or Sargol gives the most colour for your money.
Herat sits in western Afghanistan, close to Iran's Khorasan region, where most of the world's saffron is grown. Kashmiri saffron is famous but scarce, and much of what is sold under that name is not from Kashmir at all.
In practice the grade, freshness and packing of your jar matter more than the country on the box. A fresh, all-red Super Negin from Herat will beat an old, mixed "Kashmiri" every time.
These checks catch the common fakes. They are indicators, not a lab test, so use them together.
Gulf News has reported sellers mixing real saffron with corn strings dyed in food colouring, a reminder that the water test is worth the 15 minutes (Gulf News).
Saffron milk (zafran wala doodh): warm a cup of milk, add the soaked threads, a pinch of cardamom and a spoon of Sidr honey once it has cooled a little. Many families drink it on winter nights.
Pro tip: for biryani or kheer, crush the threads with a pinch of sugar before soaking. The colour spreads more evenly.
More is not better. Too much saffron tastes bitter and medicinal.
Keep saffron in its airtight glass jar, in a cool, dark, dry cupboard, away from the stove. Use a dry spoon or clean fingers. Stored well, it keeps its colour and aroma for a long time, though it is best used within its best-before date.
Cooking amounts, a few threads at a time, are how saffron has always been used. Large amounts are a different matter: RxList notes that saffron in amounts larger than food contains is likely unsafe during pregnancy, because it can make the uterus contract (RxList). If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or take regular medication, ask your doctor before using saffron more than occasionally, and avoid saffron pills or extracts unless your doctor approves them.
If you want to skip the guesswork, our Herat saffron (Super Negin) comes as all-red threads in a sealed 1 g glass jar, delivered across Pakistan with cash on delivery. See the full saffron (zafran) collection, or check delivery times and charges. Questions about the batch? WhatsApp us on +92 305 5928890.
This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, take regular medication, or are buying for a child, check with your doctor first.
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