Saffron, a Change Maker for the Whole Region

BY RUDINA HOXHA & JOSE PINTO

FROM A LAND in a small village near Tirana, suffering with registration problems into a big saffron farm! Called Bleta Saffron, the farm produces saffron as organically as possible.

Thanks to EU Challenge Fund, the Founder of the Farm, Blerta Feka made it twice: once when she created the Farm and second when the pandemic hit hard. “Thanks to EU Challenge Fund, my saffron Farm has become bigger but more importantly has achieved the organic certification according to the EU law. This opens a very important window for us in the EU market,” says, Manager of Bleta Saffron, winner of the First Call of Challenge Fund in an exclusive interview with TRAILBLAZING MAGAZINE. This is what makes EU Challenge Fund and its role fundamental for many Albanian startups.

Also she, together with her team, is working to launch 2 new products next year and will also cultivate other medicinal plants that go well with saffron. “We have already made contact with businesses in Germany that want our product and are finalizing contracts with them,” Feka adds.

1. How did you come up with the idea of growing saffron?

My family owns land in a small village near Tirana. Like a lot of other families we have faced a lot of problems registering the land. Unregistered it’s very difficult to decide to invest in there. After the registration we faced another problem that a lot of farmers in Tirana have. There was no water in the village so was very difficult to cultivate the usual plants that were cultivated for years in there.

So after the registration we needed to find how to make them profitable and in which culture to invest. Saffron is e very particular plant, the ‘red gold’ does not need a lot of water therefore it seemed like the perfect choice.

We did first a test parcel to see if it was compatible with our land and just like that our Saffron Farm was born. I felt in love with the field of saffron and with this rare product that was a real treasure for our health. It was then that I started to see it as a change maker for the whole region and not only for my family. Thanks to this farm I started to love my land more and to be much more closer to my roots in the village where I spent the first 15 years of my life.

2. Was November productive for your saffron fields? How much did you harvest this year?

Bleta Shafran produces saffron as organically as possible. We want to produce only high quality saffron therefore we use no fertilizers and no irrigation. In a year like this one with such a dry summer without rain, the production was not the one that we wanted but was still very good. For 3 weeks during November our ladies went every morning to harvest the beautiful flowers and divided the pistils in order to have our Bleta Saffron. With almost half a kilogram we are happy with our harvest. When we will reach the 3-kilogram milestone I will say that we had a very good harvest this year.

3. How did EU CHALLENGE FUND help you in developing your special idea?

Thanks to EU Challenge Fund, my Farm has become bigger but more importantly has achieved the organic certification according to the EU law. This opens a very important window for us in the EU market.

We have a high quality product, certified and ready for export as soon as we have the right quantity. I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish all this without their support in such a short period and especially not during this difficult year. Their support made possible for us to achieve the certification for 2 years in a row, they were also an important support in marketing and packing. This has helped us with sales and gave us the opportunity to grow.

4. How has the company evolved during the pandemic?

This year was difficult personally and professionally for almost everyone. The year that was designated to be our growth year started with restaurants, our main customers, closed.

This was an important obstacle and made us think about alternative ways to find new markets for our product. E-commerce was not something that I associate with a Farm but surprised me in a good way.

We had so many requests that were able to overcome the closure of restaurants, when they finally opened we had no more Bleta Shafran left.

The pandemic made us all realize how important is to take care of our health. Costumers are becoming aware of the products they consume and tend to eat healthier than they used to do.

5. What can we hope to see from the company in the future?

I care a lot for my little farm and the special product that we have. I will be cultivating each year more land in order to produce each year more with the same high quality and organically certified.

We are working to launch 2 new products next year and will also cultivate other medicinal plants that go well with saffron.

We have already made contact with businesses in Germany that want our product and are finalizing contracts with them. We had a great support from Challenge Fund that made us overcome the pandemic and see the future much more positively. I have seen so much interest from other Farmers and have given bulbs in order for them to try if their land is appropriate. The interest shown makes me believe that saffron in a few years will be cultivated in many farms and we will be exporting high quality Albanian Saffron in the EU market. I am also planning to make my farm and with it my village a touristic attraction.

I believe that what makes a business successful is how much the people that work in it, love the work they do. I believe that farmers in Albania love their land and if given the opportunity to cultivate doesn’t matter if saffron or other plants. In order to save villages and to stop people from leaving their land we need to support farms and agrotourisms.