Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 17
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
Iran exported over $360 million worth of hand-made carpet in the first ten months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2013), Deputy Director of Iran National Carpet Center Mojtaba Feuzollahi said on Feb. 17, Iranian IRNA News Agency reported.
"European countries account for 48 percent of Iran's total carpet exports," he said, adding that Asian states account for 47.5 percent of the country's exports.
"Iran still remains the world's top carpet exporter," Feyzollahi said, adding that Iran provides 41 percent of the world's total carpet.
The head of Iran National Carpet Center Mohammad-Baqer Aqa-Alikhani said on Feb. 9 that country's hand-made carpet exports will reach $400 million by the end of the current Iranian calendar year, Iranian IRNA News Agency reported.
"Some $247 million worth of hand-made carpets have been exported from Iran so far this year," he said.
He went on to note that the country's total hand-made carpet exports stood at $361 million last year.
"The United States' sanctions on Iran's carpet industry will be lifted in the second half of 2014," Aqa-Alikhani added.
Iran produced 59.181 million cubic meters of machine-made carpets in the first three quarters of the current calendar year, which started on March 21, 2013, Iran's IRNA News Agency reported on Jan. 18.
The figures show 4.9 per cent increase compared to the same period of the previous year.
Director of Coordination Department of Carpet Management Organization Lotfi Afshar said on Jan. 12 thatIran has exported 80 percent of its hand-made carpets to the international markets, the Fars News Agency reported.
"Hand-made carpet is an absolute advantage for Iran," he said, adding that Iran is the leading exporter of hand-made carpet in the world.
Deputy Governor of Isfahan province, Hamedanian, said on Jan. 14 that hand-made carpet exports currently account for 1.2 percent of Iran's total non-oil exports, the ISNA News Agency reported.
"It is while the figure stood at 16.5 per cent in the Iranian calendar year 1379 (ended March 20, 2001)," he said.
He went on to note that Isfahan province's share in the country's total hand-made carpet production is about 10-12 per cent.
Persian rugs are highly sought out for their intricate design and skilled craftsmanship, and that's why Iranexports carpets to more than 100 countries in the world.
Carpet-weaving is undoubtedly one of the most distinguished manifestations of the Persian culture and art, and dates back to ancient Persia.
There is an estimated population of 1.2 million weavers in Iran producing carpets for domestic markets and international export.
The country produces about 5 million square meters of carpets annually of which 80 percent are sold in international markets.
The United States, Europe (especially Germany and Italy), China, Brazil, South and Central Africa, along with neighboring countries are the most important markets for Iranian made Persian Carpets.
Edited by C.N.