Afghanistan’s Carpet Exports Increase by Five Percent in First Quarter

The Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment has announced that in the first three months of the current year, 10,300 square meters of Afghan hand-woven carpets valued at over $100,000 were exported to foreign markets.

According to the statistics from this institution, carpet exports have increased by five percent compared to the same period last year. Officials at the chamber say this figure reflects a relative improvement in the sales status of this product in external markets.

Mohammad Yousuf Amin, Executive Director of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment, referring to this data, said: “The carpet exports are very promising and show a five percent increase compared to last year. We hope that in the upcoming months of this year, Afghanistan’s carpet exports will increase further.”

In one of Herat’s carpet-weaving workshops, 16 women and girls are engaged in weaving carpets, most of which are produced in the Turkmen style. Afghan hand-woven carpets are considered one of the country’s important traditional products and export goods.

A number of carpet weavers say that in past years, Afghan carpets were sold in global markets under the names of some neighboring countries; however, according to them, in recent years, this product has been introduced internationally with its true Afghan identity.