Mohamad Mazhari
Abstract
Iranian saffron is produced mainly in the provinces of Khorasan-e Razavi and Khorasan-e Jonoobi and is a strategic product of the agricultural sector. The high demand in the global market for saffron provides employment opportunities. Increasing production by improving mechanization methods at the various ...
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Iranian saffron is produced mainly in the provinces of Khorasan-e Razavi and Khorasan-e Jonoobi and is a strategic product of the agricultural sector. The high demand in the global market for saffron provides employment opportunities. Increasing production by improving mechanization methods at the various stages of production is the major challenge. The research format of this study was applied-development and the method was a cross-sectional survey. The SWOT model of strategic planning was the most important model for determining the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of mechanization in saffron production. These were identified and evaluated and the best strategy for the development of mechanization was determined. The results showed that the sum of the final scores of the internal matrix factors (strengths and weaknesses) was 2.73. This indicates that the strengths were greater than the weaknesses. The matrix of external factors (opportunities and threats) had a total score of 2.67, which indicates that the current situation can be strengthened in the face of threats and opportunities with an appropriate strategic response. An aggressive strategy is best for improvement and development of farm mechanization in the Khorasan provinces. The superior strategies were determined using the quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM).
