Why saffron is ridiculously expensive?

The saffron threads used to flavor and color many dishes are the golden orange stigma of the autumn crocus, a plant or the iris family. Autumn crocuses are far from rare, so why is saffron so dear? There are two reasons. The crocus flowers must be picked by the hand to extract the saffron threads. As many as 500,00 are needed to collect just 500 gems pf saffron. The flowers are picked immediately after they blossom, and the stigma are cut by fingernail and then dried by the sun or by fire. During this drying process, the stigma lose approximately 80 percent of their weight. Saffron is largely cultivated in Spain, Iran and Kashmir. Archaic agriculture methods and small volumes of production have pushed up to the cost of superior Kashmir saffron. Consumer also have to beware of rampant adulteration.