Iranian carpet market needs promotion

Iranian carpet market needs promotion
Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:51:18

Persian carpets

Major Iranian carpet traders warn about the current situation of the country's carpet markets in Europe, seeking ways to promote sales.

In a meeting with the Managing Director of Iran Carpet Joint Stock Co. Jalaleddin Bassam in Paris, traders said high prices have overshadowed Iranian carpets elegant quality.

"Buyers prefer to purchase Pakistan's low-quality commercial carpets, which are three times cheaper than Iranian ones," IRNA quoted traders as saying.

"Iranian commercial carpet only accounts for 10-20 percent of the European carpet market," said one dealer.

Another urged government's financial support in a bid to reduce the cost of Iranian commercial carpets.

Iranian commercial carpets do not come in fashionable colors, and do not meet European consumers taste, traders added.

Bassam, however, dismissed the idea of state subsidies on carpets arguing that the act would result in unrealistic prices.

“The key to improvement of Iranian carpet sales in Europe lies within extensive promotion and advertisement in local European televisions, as well as innovative ways of producing and delivering Iranian carpets,” he concluded.