INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN - Over 5,400 billion rials ($6 million) worth of products made by Iranian artisans were sold at 12,000 makeshift stalls and local
marketplaces during Nowruz 1404 holidays, said an official with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.Farzad Ojani told
IRNA that since the necessary infrastructure, such as POS machines, is available to the artists, the sale rate of handicrafts in Nowruz
markets and fairs was declared by artisans to the cultural heritage experts, and they registered it in systems created by the Tourism
Ministry.He said provinces of Khorasan Razavi and Gilan launched over 1,000 handicrafts pavilions in Nowruz marketplaces, given the number
of cities and cultural heritage sites, and ranked top grade.The type of handicrafts is related to the indigenous fields of each province, he
Therefore, the products of each region differ, he added.For example, knifemaking and tapestry is common in Zanjan province, while ceramic
making is popular in East Azarbaijan province, basket weaving in Ilam province, khatamkari in Isfahan province, and felt making and carpet
weaving in Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province.He said the handicrafts experts of the ministry paid close attention to fair pricing of handicraft
Iran exported $224 million worth of handicrafts during the past Persian calendar year (ended on March 20, 2025), with an equal amount
estimated to have been exported through suitcase trade, according to the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Seyyed
This article first appeared/also appeared in Tehran Times
