MNA � Head of Iran National Carpet Center Hamid Kargar said that Iran�s handwoven carpet has found new markets in China, Russia and South Africa as well as some Latin American countries, along with its traditional markets like US, Germany and Italy.


Speaking in an interview with MNA correspondent on Tuesday, he added, �typically, Iran�s handwoven carpet is classified into two groups at the carpet market;�first, the markets that have long been the customer of Iranian carpets and secondly, the new markets that have joined the club of customers in recent years.�

The old customers for Iranian handwoven carpets have either been the consumers of this product or have become famous for re-export of country�s handwoven carpets, he maintained.

He further noted that Germany, Italy, France and Switzerland in Europe and US in North America, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar and Lebanon in West Asia as well as Japan in East Asia are considered Iran�s traditional markets in relevant field.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he said that China is the most salient new market for Iranian handwoven carpet.

Given the above issue, China is one of Iran�s most important rivals in the field of handwoven carpet, Kargar emphasized.

According to a 10-month carpet export statistics, China is ranked 17th as the main buyer of Iranian handwoven carpet, the official noted.

Iran�s export of handwoven carpet experienced a considerable 23 percent growth in the past Iranian calendar year in 1395 (ended March 20, 2017) as compared to a year earlier.

Giant steps were taken in the field of export of handwoven carpet to other countries in the past Iranian calendar year in 1396 (ended March 20, 2018), he stressed.

According to the statistics of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA), $336 million worth of Iranian handwoven carpets were exported to the international markets from March 21, 2017 to Jan. 22, 2018, Kargar concluded.