Iran Reports Rise in Output for Handwoven Carpets

Iran saw its output of various types of handwoven carpets increase by a third year-on-year in late January, according to figures by a government department responsible for regulation and exports of the famed Persian handicraft. Iran’s National Carpet Center chief Farahnaz Rafe’ said that the total output for handwoven carpets had reached nearly 1.9 million square meters for the 10 months to January 19, a 34% surge against the same period in 2019-20. Rafe’ said exports of handwoven carpets had also increased by 16.4% year-on-year in late December, when total shipments reached 2.7 tons in terms of volume.

The official, whose agency is a subsidiary of Iran’s Ministry of Trade, said that the total number of jobs in the handwoven carpet sector in Iran had exceeded two million, of which 1.2 million were occupied by permanent carpet weavers. She said the government will spend IRR 15 trillion (~US$60 million) in the next Iranian year, beginning late March, to expand the coverage of social security insurance to more than 313,000 carpet weavers in the country.

The carpet industry is still a major hard-currency earner for Iran despite challenges posed by low-cost rivals in Asia and elsewhere. Exports normally reach US$1 billion in value terms each year as the government struggles to increase shipments by providing more support to weavers and exporters. Rafe’ said commercial carpets had accounted for nearly 42% of the handwoven rugs produced in the country in the 10 months to late January, adding that the production of full-silk carpets had also increased to reach more than 112,000 square meters in the same period. - Iran Daily