Iran’s annual handicraft exports stand at $250m

Iran’s annual handicraft exports stand at $250m

Iran exports handicrafts valued at $250 million each year, said a top official in the handicrafts sector.

According to ifpnews.com, Deputy Head of Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) Bahman Namvar Motlaq further said, “Handicrafts exports have currently tripled and even within the country, there is a growing interest in handicrafts given the measures adopted.

“The handicrafts of every country are the first representation of that country’s culture for tourists, and, hence, are very important.”

He said roughly ten percent of the turnover in the handicrafts sector is associated with exhibitions, which not only serve as a forum for economic activity, but also provides an opportunity to make the public familiar with handicrafts.

He said the handicrafts sector can bring in money and create jobs.

“Official figures suggest the country’s handicrafts exports stand at $250 million annually. With just $1 million in the handicrafts sector, we can create ten times as many jobs as we can with one million petrodollars,” he said.

“Handicrafts have a very high added value, and this industry does not need contribution by foreign companies,” he noted.

He said Iran has the most diverse handicrafts in the world, adding, “We should use handicrafts in our homes to promote an Islamic-Iranian lifestyle. We should keep this culture and cultural diversity alive.”