Persian Carpets Lose 30 Percent of Market in Europe

One exporter of carpets referred in an interview with the Mehr economic correspondent to the decrease in share prices of Persian carpets world-wide, adding “The decrease in value, the lack of appropriate designs, lack of advertising and location of suitable markets, lack of attention to the good taste of the markets and their declining presence in the bazaar have all contributed to the fall in share prices for Iranian carpets world-wide.”

Ali Tabibi remarked that there is almost no advertising for Persian carpets, adding “More advertisements made for Persian carpets in European markets have added to the detriment of the exports of Persian carpets.

“In the last five years, the existence of illicit auctions and roughly 80 percent discounts for Persian carpets have become the current reason for negative advertising for Persian carpets.”

Tabibi, pointing out that around 70 percent of trade in Persian carpets in Europe is wasted due to lack of trade spending, added, “Most of the trade in Persian carpets has resulted in unemployment or a change in jobs because of low sales and heavy spending, and the other traders have looked to the Pakistani market for their carpets.”

Supporting the creation of a common committee with the co-operation of the Ministry of Commerce, experts and custodians and rest of the exporters of carpets, he added, “The Government should take an effective role in supporting production and allocating financial resources.”

Tabibi emphasized, “The Persian carpet trade has presently allocated around 30 percent of world carpets to the Iranian market.”

DFM/IS

END
MNA