London, England, January 27--Iran's carpet exports have declined significantly in the past months, said a senior Persian carpet industry official on Tuesday, expressing serious concern about the downward trend, according to Iranmania.com.
Akbar Harischian, who heads Persian Carpet Exporters Association, told ISNA that high inflation rate is chiefly responsible for the decline in carpet exports from Iran in the past three years.
"Inflation rate reached a total of 52% in the past three years," he said, adding that the high inflation rate does not go with the three-percent incentive the government pays to exporters.
The official further noted that the high inflation rate would lead to an increase in prices of raw material, labor as well as the final product.
He said in spite of the fact that inflation rate remains high and the foreign exchange parity rates are fixed, the government does not support the Persian carpet industry properly.
Harischian added that the government has done little to publicize Persian carpet internationally.
Iran Carpet Center experts are working on the Comprehensive Persian Carpet Scheme, which aims to organize and promote fine rugs in international markets.
Statistics released by Iran's Customs Administration suggest that Iran exported $305 mln worth of carpets during March-November, down by $42 mln against the figure for the corresponding period last year.
Each kilo of Persian carpet used to sell for $27.2 during the year to March 2003, while it fell to $25.7 in the first half of the year to March 2004.
Experts believe that international marketing with the help of diplomatic missions, active participation in international and domestic exhibitions, quality production with closer attention to customer preferences, setting up carpet weaving complexes, offering insurance cover to weavers and higher wages could help improve the key industry.
