why is saffron so expensive?

Yes, there is a substitue for saffron. Unfortunately I can't think of what its called. When I find out from my daughter, she has a bottle of it, I'll post back here and let you know. As to why saffron is so expensive is because it has to be hand picked. The little stems that you buy are the center of a certain type of crosus and the only way to get them is to hand pick them. Just imagine how many must be planted and picked and that will tell you why it is expensive. But even with the expense you don't have to use very much. so it does last a long time. Especially if you only use it now and then. It is mainly used to add a yellow color to your food.

Saffron is so expensive bacse each little piece has to be hand-picked. I'm not sure of an alternative for it.

can u tell me, in wht u want to use saffron, acc. to that somebody will tell u the alternative...

I don't know why saffron is expensive but there is alternative for it in your cooking. As for me, for cooking food such as main and side dish i will use turmeric and for baking cake and cookies i will use food coloring or egg yolk. I think saffron only gives the color and not the taste. But then turmeric gives a color and the taste/smell as well. For example when i make my homemade noodle, i used egg yolk and turmeric powder so that the noodle will have a nice yellowish color.

anything that is rare is expensive. so is saffron, so is diamond and so is platinum!

saffron is part of a plant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron). a bit of the saffron that you see now is taken from many flowers

Turmeric is the closest thing I can think of, and you really have to be careful of the amount you use. But the color is pretty!