From flower to fortune: How one Italian farmer turns 1kg of saffron into half his income

Discover how Alessandro Mazzouli’s dedication to saffron farming in Umbria sustains centuries-old traditions and delivers priceless returns

Saffron farming in Italy.

Italian farmer Alessandro Mazzuoli might only produce just 1,000g of his star crop a year, but the revenue it brings in makes up around half of his income.

Mr Mazzouli, who farms in Umbria, is the president of the Consortium for the Protection and Promotion of il Croco di Pietro Perugino, which takes its name from the famous Italian painter born in the nearby city Città della Pieve in 1446.