Rajasthan Carpet Industry Growing 15% Annually

Rajasthan, India, March 11, 2008--The carpet industry in Rajasthan, famous for its royal carpet designs, is upbeat about its future business prospects.

The growth rate of carpet industry in Rajasthan, the country's third largest producer, accelerated during the last few years and has been growing at the rate of around 15 percent per year.

"Over ten year's back when I first came here, there were just 30-35 exporters in the carpet business but now there are at least 150 carpet exporters in the state. It means day by day the business is growing," said Sidhnath Singh, a carpet manufacturer from Rajasthan.

"People in India are hardworking and they can make high quality carpets which people in other countries cannot make," said Ramjan, a buyer from Turkey.

With the growth of the carpet industry in Rajasthan, the state's share in carpet exports from India has correspondingly increased.

Carpet exports from India for the year 2006-07 was $800 million, and of that Rajasthan contributed $40 million. There are 300 thousand people directly or indirectly working in the carpet industry of the State, said Ashok Jain, Chairman, Carpet Export Promotion Council.

The U.S. alone imports almost half of total carpets export of India, followed by the UK, which imports 30 percent, and Europe, Gulf countries, South Africa and South America accounting for the remaining Indian carpet exports.