TEHRAN (Iran News) – A member of board of directors of Iran Carpet Manufacturers and Exports Association says Iran ranks fourth or fifth in the exports of carpet, and countries like India and Afghanistan have sped past Iran in exports of carpet while Iran had been the world top carpet exporters till a couple of years ago.
Reacting to the return of Iran’s exported carpets from Turkey and Pakistan, Morteza Miri said that it was a mistake committed by a news agency which misinterpreted his words, adding that he said since the damaged exported carpets cannot be returned to the country due to the customs regulations, they are sent to Turkey and Pakistan to be repaired and for this reason several Iranian carpet weavers and carpet repairmen have migrated to those countries.
He said since the country faces several problems in trade, then the demands for Iran’s carpet or goods fall due to those problems.
He added that carpet is a cultural phenomenon which needs gradual promotional programs which are not followed in this country unfortunately and therefore the climate for carpet trade today is not like the past.
Miri went on to say that Iran has fallen down in the carpet exporting countries rankings and now it is fourth or fifth which the country used to be first in the rankings till a couple of years ago and today countries like India and Afghanistan have sped past it. He reiterated that if the international problems are solved and promotional programs gradually begin, then Iran can retake its top position in the rankings.
He went on to say that unfortunately officials have been negligent about the significance of carpet as the carpet is a strategic commodity for the country and hand-woven carpet guarantees livelihood of 10 percent of the society in Iran and some 2m people directly and 200,000 people indirectly earn their livelihood in this industry which makes 10 percent of the total population.
