Iran's handmade carpet industry was hijacked; Expert
Chairman of Iran's Chamber of Commerce told that Iran's handmade carpet industry has been hijacked by China and Pakistan.
Gholam-Hossein Shafei said in an exclusive interview with ILNA news agency that unfortunately, over the last 30 or 40 years, many of our carpet weavers and specialists have stimulated to go to other countries, including China and Pakistan.
"The cost of carpet production in those countries is lower than in Iran; therefore, we cannot compete in the global carpet market and we are facing problems.
He added that the sanctions imposed against Iran have had a significant and negative effect on the amount of export all our goods.
Gholam-Hossein Shafei in other interview has warned that the government needs to remove "domestic and international obstacles to production" in the face of a 57 percent drop in GDP, and revise economic policies to stimulate competition and create a favorable environment for investment.
According to Jalal Eddin Bassam, managing director of the state-owned Iran Carpet Company, the United States and Germany were Iran’s largest markets for top-notch handmade carpets -- accounting for 60 percent of $460 million worth of annual sales abroad. Total Iranian carpet exports amounted to $635 million in 2005.
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