Iranian Carpet Sales Plummet Since 1995

Tehran, Iran, February 12, 2008--The chief of the Tehran Carpet Sellers Union said that Iran's carpet exports have fallen 80 percent during the current year compared with 1995.

The values of carpet exports has dropped from $1.6 billion in 1994 to $450 million now, Ahmad Sadeqi said.

"Downward trend in carpet exports started in 1994 and over the past 14 years the value of carpet exports has fallen by $1.15 billion," he said.

He said that devaluation of dollar, rising prices of raw material, high cost of energy and shortage of economic advantages were effective in pushing down the export of hand-woven Persian carpets.

He said that there are no reliable statistics on annual production of carpets in Iran.

"Some countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, China and India have imitated Persian carpet designs and motifs and this has led to reduction of Iranian carpet exports," added Sadeqi.

He also called for extensive publicity work and advertisements to better introduce Persian carpets to the world.