The company has recently implemented a transplanting machine that is equipped with a hydraulic gear that can place saffron bulbs at a constant depth and with perfect alignment. once it is fully automated, the transplanter (the first of its kind in Italy) will also be able to collect bulbs directly from a container, thereby optimizing land use and dramatically reducing the time and manual intervention needed. 

To extend automation even further, Aurum Julii is currently working with the Polytechnic University of Turin and the University of Cagliari on a harvesting robot and a fluid power system that separates petals from pistils and stigmas.

“The time is right for saffron to embrace new technologies, just like grapevine and corn did before it,” said Aurum Juliis president Luigi Campello. “Our goal is to reduce the labor and stress of the operators and obtain the purest quality saffron while respecting the natural growing process of the crop.”

In July, Aurum Julii took part in the 3rd International Conference on Fourth Industrial Revolution in Teheran, wher Mr. Campello presented the companys four projects currently under development: an automatic seeder, an innovative process for cutting and harvesting flowers, a fluid power system that separates the stigmas from the rest of the flowers, and a desiccating oven that is specifically designed for saffron.

Currently, 90 percent of saffron worldwide comes from Iran, wher the spice is part of the cultural heritage and a common subject of scientific research.

“Iran is the undisputed leader of the saffron industry, so it was a great honor for us to be there,” said Aurum Juliis CEO Andrea Finco. “The most exciting part was to discover how growers from all around the world share a common desire to deliver a superior quality product and understand that technology plays a crucial role in it.”