Iran carpet center to help Lebanese traders expand market

TEHRAN,June 19(MNA) - Iran National Carpet Center has signed an agreement with the Lebanese Union of Handmade Carpet Traders to help Lebanese traders expand markets in Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia and Algeria. Mohammad-Baqer Aqa-Alikhani, the head of Iran National Carpet Center, told the Mehr News Agency that the two sides have signed an agreement to turn Lebanon as a hub for exporting handmade carpets to west of the Middle East and north of Africa. Iran exported over $560 million worth of handmade carpets to 80 countries in the past calendar year, which ended on March 19. According to the Customs Administration data, the carpet exports rose by 0.8 percent in value, but decreased by 15.4 percent in weight, compared to the year before. Germany, the UAE, and Italy were the main destinations for the Iranian carpets, accounting for $107.9 million, $102 million, and $29.9 million of the imports. Pakistan, Japan, Britain, Brazil, Denmark, Sweden and Qatar, also imported Iranian handmade carpets last year. Iran has developed plans to export as much as $1 billion worth of carpets in the current calendar year.