Iran was the world's seventh biggest exporter of textile floorings in 2017, says director general of the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade's Textile and Clothing Department, Afsaneh Mehrabi, citing data from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Financial Tribune reports.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 11th International Floor Covering, Moquette, Machine-Made Carpet and Related Industries Exhibition, also known as "FMCEX 2019", Mehrabi explained that the ranking does not take into account exports of machine-made carpet.
"If included, Iran would be the world’s fifth biggest exporter of textile floorings," she was quoted as saying by IRNA.
She said Iran exported $417 million worth of textile floorings (excluding hand-woven carpets) in the last Iranian year (March 2018-19).
"FMCEX 2019" was hosted at Tehran’s International Fairground from Sept. 13-16.
“Currently, 870 industrial units are operating in Iran's machine-made carpet industry with a workforce of 25,000,” Mehrabi said.
According to Alireza Haeri, a board member of Iran Textile Specialists Association, machine-made carpets account for half of Iran's textile exports.
The official said Iran exports $700 million worth of textile products annually, $350 million of which pertain to machine-made carpets, according to the report.
"Last [Iranian] year [March 2018-19], 90 million square meters of machine-made carpets were produced in Iran, of which 60 million square meters were sold domestically,” he said.
The official noted that Iran has the capacity to produce up to 120 million square meters and export $1.5 billion worth of machine-made carpets annually.
Iran's machine-made carpet, moquette and flooring industry depends on imported raw materials and machinery. Producers are dealing with multiple challenges originating both domestically and internationally.
Over 90% of raw materials needed for machine-made carpet production are imported from Turkey, South Korea, Thailand and China, the Iranian English economic daily says.