Handicrafts exports surge 35% post-pandemic
The head of the Women Commission of the Iran Chamber of Cooperatives said that according to the figures by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, the export value of the country’s handicrafts has reached $3.5 billion.
Talking to Iran Daily, Khatereh Ostadrezaei also noted that the figure for exports of handicrafts includes official exports and unofficial figures.
“Since Iran’s handicrafts are exported through various formal and informal channels, and the country’s handicrafts are produced in legal frameworks, including cooperative and non-cooperative workshops and public or private companies, there are no detailed statistics about the exports,” she said.
Every year, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts released statistics on the export of handicrafts, which can be considered as the statistics of the government sector of the handicrafts export of the country, Ostadrezaei said.
She went on to say that according to official statistics, the export of handicrafts in the country has increased by 35 percent compared to before the pandemic of Corona.
“At the same time, the collection of data from the handicrafts cooperatives sector of the country shows the growth rate of handicrafts exports in the handicrafts cooperatives sector by three to five percent compared to before the pandemic.”
According to Ostadrezaei, the figure of exports of handicrafts in the cooperative sector of the country stands at about $1.5 billion.
She put the number of cooperatives producing handicrafts across the country at about 8,000 and explained: “This number of cooperatives includes all branches of handicrafts and cooperatives producing handwoven carpets.”
The production capacity of handicrafts in the cooperative sector of the country is a very considerable that can be used with proper planning for the growth of production and job creation in the country, as well as increasing exports and earning foreign currency, Ostadrezaei stated.
“Handicraft cooperatives are now scattered throughout the country, both in urban and rural areas, and are able to benefit from the capabilities of this sector in far and near places.”
She noted that about 40% of the country’s handicrafts are produced in the form of handicrafts cooperatives, and explained the handicrafts cooperatives have a high capacity to use production capabilities in the rural and remote parts of the country.
“About 1,800 craftspeople are active in the Handicrafts Cooperative Union of Tehran Province. The union operates in 48 fields of handicrafts, as the number of fields of handicrafts in the handicrafts cooperatives of the whole country is more than the figure.”
Ostadrezaei noted that in the field of handicrafts, we are facing many problems, including the supply of raw materials, organizing production lines, introduction and marketing, as well as support and welfare issues for artisans and producers.
“With the efforts of the officials, the handicraft production issues as well as the welfare and support issues of the craftspeople of the sector have improved compared to the past.
We hope that more serious measures to be done in the field of exhibition and supply of handicraft products to the domestic and international markets, she said expressing her hope that the craftspeople are encouraged in the field of production and export, so we witness the prosperity of the country’s handicrafts economy.