Azerbaijan, Baku, Sep.18/ Trend F.Milad/
Iran exported some $150 million worth of carpets during the first five months of the current year, which began on March 20, showing a 12 per cent fall compared to the same period last year, the Fars news agency quoted the head of the National Carpet Centre as saying.
Mohammad-Baqer Aqa-Alikhani added that exports of carpets fall in the first half of each year, but grow in the second half.
He referred to China, Vietnam, South Africa and Brazil as the potential markets for Iranian carpets.
Iran exported over $560 million worth of handmade carpets to 80 countries in the last calendar year.
According to the Customs Administration data, carpet exports last year rose by 0.8 per cent in value, but decreased by 15.4 per cent in weight, compared to the year before.
Iran has developed plans to export as much as $1 billion worth of carpets in the current calendar year, said the head of the National Carpet Centre on April 7.
"Carpets are of great importance to the non-oil exports of the Islamic Republic," Baqer Aqa-Alikhani said, adding that boosting carpet exports to UAE and China has been highlighted, the Mehr News Agency reported.