ABAC$Holland:$25$years$of$experience$with$Crocus$sa;vus

ABAC$ Holland$ BV$ harbour$ 25$ years$ of$ experience$ in$ Saffron$ growing,$ harves@ng,$ selec@on,$ cer@fying,$processing,$ packaging,$transpor@ng,$sales$and$marke@ng.$Mr.$Marco$Minnes,$CEO$of$ABAC$Holland,$has$a$unique$posi@on$as$the$major$ saffron$grower$and$marketeer$ in$ the$Netherlands.$He$ has$built$ up$ experience$in$ the$ saffron$ sector$ in$ 3$ con@nents:$Europe$(The$Netherlands,$Spain$and$Portugal),$Africa$(Morocco)$and$Asia$(India$and$Afghanistan).

The$company$has$built$up$experience$in$the$following$projects$and$ac@vi@es:

1988Utoday$ management$of$own$saffron$bulb$farm$and$other$bulbs$(tulips,$daffodils,$etc.)$in$the$Netherlands$for$25$years

1990Utoday$ exports$of$saffron$and$saffron$bulbs

1991Utoday$ training$of$saffron$farmers$in$>$15$countries$worldUwide

1991Utoday$ training$of$saffron$farmers$in$Spain$(La$Mancha)

2000Utoday$ intermediary$in$saffron$and$saffron$bulb$sales$worldUwide$(wholesale)

2002Utoday$ direct$sales$of$saffron$and$saffron$bulbs$(retail)$(see:$www.crocussa@vus.nl)

2004U2008$ training$and$implementa;on$of$saffron$fields$in$Herat,$Afghanistan$(12$Ha)$(PSOM$project,$€$800.000)

2005U2006$ training$managers$of$Dacaar$(Danish$Commi^ee$for$Aid$to$Afghan$Refugees)$in$the$Netherlands$in$saffron$$ $ $ cul@va@on

2005U2007$ research$saffron$bulb$cul@va@on$in$heavy$soils

2005U2009$ training$farmers$in$saffron$cul@va@on$in$Uruzgan,$Afghanistan

2006U2007$ training$saffron$growers$$in$Morocco

2006U2007$ training$and$implementa@on$of$a$saffron$farm$in$Portugal$(Algarve)

2006U2007$ Feasibility$Study$saffron$in$Iran1

2006U2008$ research$saffron$produc@on$in$nets

2007U2009$ implementa;on$of$a$Organic$saffron$farm$in$India$(Kashmir)

2007U2009$ exports$of$200.000$kg$saffron$bulbs$to$Uruzgan,$Afghanistan$(Project$Dutch$Ministry$of$Foreign$Affairs,$ $ $ value$of$€$5.200.000)$(see$also:$h^p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUMOrWX1zx4&feature=relmfu)

2007Utoday$ management$of$Organic$saffron$farm

2010$$ $ implementa;on$of$Organic$saffron$fields$in$France

2010$$ $ establishment$Founda;on$1MoreTime:$structuring$of$collabora@on$with$strategic$partners$and$knowledge

$ $ $ centers

2011$$ $ Feasibility$Study$saffron$in$Iraq

2012$$ $ research$on$biological$pest$control$(lice)$for$saffron$bulbs$(ongoing$for$Dutch$Ministry$of$Economic$Affairs,$ $ $ Agriculture$and$Innova@on,$€$750.000)

2013$$ $ research$on$biological$pest$control$for$flower$bulbs$(ongoing$for$Dutch$Ministry$of$Economic$Affairs,

$ $ $ Agriculture$and$Innova@on,$€$500.000)

2013$$ $ development$of$Drinking$Water$and$Mango$Fresh$Fruit$Juice$Processing$Unit$for$KVDA$in$Kerio$Valley,$Kenya

AGRO BUSINESS AND CONSULTANCY HOLLANDABAC Holland BV ・ J. Henderikxstraat 57 ・ 1788 AZ Julianadorp

Office Tel.: +31 223 86 09 08 ・ Fax: +31 84 72 95 207

V.A.T.: NL851269382B01 ・ Ch. of Comm. Nr.: 54348765 ・ IBAN: NL46ABNA0528837524 ・ BIC: ABNANL2A

www.abacholland.com info@abacholland.com

1 Please note that since 2007, due to the developments in the country, ABAC Holland is no longer active in Iran.

2013$$ $ Feasibility$Study$on$algae$problems$in$Asia

2013$$ $ Feasibility$Study$on$water$hyacinth$problems$in$Asia$and$La@n$America.

Apart$ from$ the$ above$projects,$ABAC$ Holland$ is$ con@nuously$ac@ve$ in$ developing$ and$ improving$the$saffron$ value$ chain$ in$ a$broad$range$of$countries.$ABAC$Holland$ is$generally$regarded$by$saffron$ growers$worldUwide$as$a$major$ expert$and$ knowledge$base$ for$ both$ saffron$ bulb$ produc@on$ and$ saffron$ produc@on.$ The$ company$ is$ con@nuously$ approached$ by$ farmers$ from$5$con@nents$for$ advice,$training,$delivery$of$bulbs,$assistance$in$marke@ng$&$sales$and$partnerships.$Moreover,$the$company$has$been$ awarded$ several$ @mes$ with$ subsidies$ by$ the$ Dutch$ government,$ both$ for$ execu@ng$ projects$ in$ Afghanistan$ and$ for$groundbreaking$research$projects$in$the$Netherlands.

Besides$its$ac@vi@es$in$saffron,$ABAC$Holland$is$also$ac@ve$in$sectors$like$strawberries,$fruit$trees,$processed$foods$(juices)$as$well$as$ development$ of$ and$ research$ on$ biological$ treatment$ of$ diseases$ in$ hor@cultural$ and$ agricultural$ crops.$ Apart$ from$ its$agricultural$ac@vi@es, $the$company$is$also$ac@ve$in$water$purifica@on$and$related$environmental$issues$such$as$waterhyacint$and$algae$removal,$crea@ng$innova@ve$solu@ons$by$connec@ng$new$and$exis@ng$technologies$in$collabora@on$with$strategic$partners.

ABAC$Holland$was$joined$by$Mr.$drs.$Jan$Wicher$ van$Heerde,$who$has$more$than$20$years$of$experience$in$hor@cultural$projects$in$4$con@nents, $in$countries$such$as$India,$China,$Egypt,$Kenya,$South$Africa, $Honduras,$Guatemala$and$Colombia.$He$has$worked$at$all$ levels,$from$farmers$to$ central$government$ministers.$He$has$also$worked$ for$the$Dutch$development$bank$FMO.$Mr.$van$Heerde$has$created$teams$to$conduct$ feasibility$studies$in$Floriculture$in$Mexico,$Honduras$and$India.$He$has$been$instrumental$in$ the$birth$of$the$Indian$Floriculture$Industry$and$has$created$a$breakthrough$for$ the$Mexican$exports$of$flowers$to$the$United$States.$In$India$he$has$been$involved$in$the$coUmanagement$of$implementa@on$of$several$flower$farms.

ABAC$Holland$makes$use$of$a$Demonstra@on$Farm$in$ the$vicinity$of$Kabul$Airport$that$ was$built$by$GAPUAfghanistan.$The$farm$has$the$following$facili@es:$

➡ very$modern$ and$ adequate$ training$ facili@es,$ very$suitable$ to$ train$ Afghan$ farmers$ in$ the$ cul@va@on$ of$ several$crops$that$grow$at$the$farm$itself

➡ a$new$cold$storage$facility➡ a$new$laboratory➡ classrooms$equipped$with$computers$to$train$partners$in$the$saffron$value$chain.

The$farm$is$ideally$equipped$ to$provide$handsUon,$prac@cal$ training,$while$simultaneously$more$advanced$ levels$of$skills$needed$in$the$saffron$value$chain$can$be$taught,$in$par@cular$planning,$value$chain$organiza@on,$market$analysis$and$sales.

In$the$next$ pages,$the$actual$ experience$and$ involvement$ of$ABAC$Holland$in$ the$ saffron$sector$worldUwide$is$ illustrated:$ from$development$ and$ implementa@on$➪ $to$ growing$ and$ harves@ng$➪ $to$ processing$ and$ packaging$➪ $to$ marke@ng$ and$ sales.$Further,$detailed$informa@on$can$be$provided$upon$request.

AGRO BUSINESS AND CONSULTANCY HOLLANDABAC Holland BV ・ J. Henderikxstraat 57 ・ 1788 AZ Julianadorp

Office Tel.: +31 223 86 09 08 ・ Fax: +31 84 72 95 207

V.A.T.: NL851269382B01 ・ Ch. of Comm. Nr.: 54348765 ・ IBAN: NL46ABNA0528837524 ・ BIC: ABNANL2A

www.abacholland.com info@abacholland.com

Illustrations Projects ABAC Holland & ABAC Afghanistan

Tulip Field at ABAC Holland HQ,Julianadorp, The Netherlands

Test Field saffron bulbs planted in biodegradable plastic

Test Field Organic saffron bulbs,Julianadorp, The Netherlands

Organic saffron, ABAC Holland Farm,Julianadorp, The Netherlands

Crocus sativus, source of wealth and health

Mechanical cleaning of organic saffron bulbs in Holland

Mechanized planting of saffron bulbs, organic cultivation, San Pedro, La Mancha, Spain

Spain

Spain

Planting of saffron bulbs, organic cultivation, San Pedro, La Mancha, Spain

Selection of suitable land for saffron cultivation, Spain

Course in mechanized planting of saffron bulbs, organic cultivation, San Pedro, La Mancha, Spain

Introduction of drip irrigation system for grape cultivation, La Mancha, Spain

Implementation of saffron plantation in Portugal

Training Quality Control of flowers in Izmir, Turkey

Sorting and selection of suitable saffron bulbs for re-planting,La Mancha: decisive aspect for success of any saffron project

Implementation of saffron plantation in Kashmir

Portugal, Turkey, India

Afghanistan: Herat

First fieldsin Herat

Training in the fieldsin Herat

First diplomasin Herat

Afghanistan: KabulABAC Afghanistan Training Center

Afghanistan: KabulABAC Afghanistan Training Center

Prince Nadir Naim, Director and Mr. Marco Minnes, CEO ABAC Holland BV

Checking of implementation of fruit tree project (8,000 trees) at ABAC Afghanistan Training Center

Afghanistan: KabulABAC Afghanistan Training Center

Afghanistan: KabulABAC Afghanistan Training Center

New buildings: May 2012

Afghanistan: KabulABAC Afghanistan Training Center

Cold Storage: May 2012