They are growing the world's most expensive spice in Canada. Here's how

As the evening sun warms the fields of Abbotsford, B.C., bright purple blossoms stretch across Avtar Dhillon’s farm — each crocus hiding three delicate crimson threads of saffron, the world’s most expensive spice.

For Dhillon, those threads represent a dream he planted in 2021: to make Abbotsford the saffron capital of B.C. He was among the first in the province — and one of only a handful in Canada — to grow the crop at scale. But months after his first successful harvest, catastrophic flooding wiped out nearly 250,000 bulbs, leaving his fields underwater.

“I was heartbroken,” he said. “But I wasn’t ready to give up.”

A comeback — and a growing movement

Four years later, Dhillon’s dream is thriving once more. His farm now spans 1.5 acres, home to more than 500,000 saffron bulbs. He has hired staff, expanded production, and partnered with designers to develop equipment that makes the labour-intensive work of planting and harvesting more efficient.

A single gram of his saffron sells for $50, but getting there is painstaking. His wife, father, and sister-in-law spend hours carefully plucking each thread from freshly picked flowers, often working from morning into the night.

Despite his success, Dhillon says his biggest challenge now is insurance. The provincial government currently does not insure emerging crops like saffron. Without coverage, he fears another climate disaster could destroy everything again.

“They aren’t agreeing with me,” he said. “Everyone is not comfortable when they don’t have insurance.”

The Ministry of Agriculture says that insurance could eventually be offered once saffron growers can show sufficient data proving the crop is commercially viable in B.C. For now, growers can access AgriStability — income support during bad years — but Dhillon says it’s not enough.

New research — and new growers

Dhillon’s efforts are sparking innovation across the country.

At Charanjit Singh’s Abbotsford farm, scientists from Canadian Invitro Technologies are developing disease-free saffron bulbs grown through tissue culture — multiplying plants in glass jars, then moving them into greenhouses to strengthen.

Scientist Baljit Singh Gill says each plant can triple every six to eight weeks, offering a way for Canada to eventually produce its own bulbs instead of relying on imports.

“We select plants with good traits … and then we can multiply it,” he said.

And in Calgary, entrepreneur Vikash Sangwan is taking saffron indoors. In his garage, he built the Saffron Box, an AI-powered growing chamber that controls humidity, light, and CO₂ from an app on his phone.

“To grow red gold? Who wouldn’t want that?” he said.

A growing agricultural future

Food and agriculture researcher Lenore Newman says saffron represents the larger shift toward alternative crops in Canada — from lemons to subtropical fruits — as farmers adapt to climate change, diversify income, and maximize use of the Agricultural Land Reserve.

“All of these things can diversify our industry and support Canada’s economy and food sovereignty,” she said.

Back in Abbotsford, Dhillon walks his rows of blossoms as another harvest begins. The heartbreak of 2021 lingers, but so does his determination.

“I’m excited,” he said. “This is my dream — and it’s growing.”