BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 20
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:
Exports of Iranian hand-made carpets decreased by 90 percent in the last Iranian year (from March 21, 2019 to March 20, 2020) compared to the preceding year (from March 21, 2018 to March 21, 2019), said Abdollah Bahrami, the head of the National Union of Cooperatives of Iran’s Carpet Manufacturers, Trend reports citing Fars news agency.
According to Bahrami, $50 million worth of hand-made carpets were exported last Iranian year.
Bahrami added that some $500 million worth of hand-made carpets were exported preceding year.
"There are various reasons for the decline in carpet exports. The US sanctions against in Iran, the cost of carpet weaving, lack of a plan to increase exports, more importantly, the decision of the Central Bank of Iran to sell part of the export earnings to banks at a fixed price are some of the reasons,” he said.
The Central Bank of Iran has decided to sell part of the currency earned by exporters to banks at the NIMA exchange rate. This has resulted in some exporters refusing to export.
The US imposed new sanctions on Iran in November 2018. Over the past period, the sanctions affected Iranian oil exports, more than 700 banks, companies and individuals.