Turkey has agreed to assist in promoting and exporting Afghanistan’s carpet industry, said officials at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce under the Islamic Emirate.
Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the ministry, told Salam Watandar that the leadership of the Turkish Carpet Union has pledged to support Afghanistan in the promotion and export of its carpets during a meeting with the leadership of the Afghanistan Carpet Producers and Exporters Union.
He added that during this meeting, the two sides discussed the possibility of “customs exemptions for Afghan carpets in Turkey and the organization of joint exhibitions”.
Meanwhile, several Afghan carpet traders, highlighting the value and global position of Afghan carpets, say that the import of low-quality carpets should be stopped.
Abdul Qader, a carpet trader, said, “Carpets are an Afghan handicraft, and they are made under very difficult conditions. The weavers often lose their eyesight, and the main issue is the import of low-quality materials, which damages the reputation of Afghan carpets.”
Another carpet trader, Mohibullah Kohi, urged the de-facto government to organize more international exhibitions to promote Afghan carpets abroad. “We face challenges in exporting carpets. People in Afghanistan are unable to buy carpets, and we need an air corridor so we can sell our carpets anywhere.”
According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in the first six months of the current solar year, Afghanistan exported carpets worth over 8 million dollars to Pakistan, Turkey, the UAE, and Uzbekistan.
