‘Carpet weaving industry in Faryab is facing stagnation’

MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Carpet weavers in northwestern Faryab province complained about declined carpet sales in the province, where many of government employees joined the industry due to unemployment and economic poverty following regime change in the country.

People work in Qarmqul, Qurghan, Khancharbagh and Andkhoi districts of Faryab say that after the fall of the republic government, the carpet market also affected unprecedentedly. A year ago, 3,000 square meters of carpets were sold in a single market. It has been reduced to about three square meters now.

Hamidullah Moallem, a carpet trader in Andkhoy district of Faryab, said that Andkhoy carpets, which he added was world famous, used to have good sales and exports; but the industry faced a recession in the last one year, particularly after the fall of the republic government.

He said that previously, 3,000 to 4,000 square meters of carpets were produced every week in the four districts of the province and then packaged in Andkhoy market before imported to European countries and Pakistan; But for now, but currently exports of the carpet fallen to 500 meters a week.

“Traders fled from the country after the regime change. There is no investment. Those who made a living by producing and selling carpets are in a bad situation and are discouraged due to low market for the product,” he said.

Esmatullah, a 70-year-old man with a rug in his hand, says that five members of his family weave rugs. He sells two rugs every four months but unable to meet his family needs.

He asked the government to pay attention to their problems and support carpet weavers so that Afghanistan’s top quality product is improved and families involved in the business would be able to build their economy.

Mohammad Ismail, one of the shopkeepers in the carpet market in Andkhoy says that carpets had no good market even before the fall of the previous government, but the market was worsened after the new regime due to banking restrictions and lack of money.

He said that if the government intends to support the carpet industry and thousands of weavers do not lose their profession, it should not impose tax on raw materials imported from China, Germany and other countries.

Mohammad Saleh, another carpet seller in Andkhoy, said that the carpet market has completely collapsed. He said that he was able to sell 2,000 to 3,000 square meters of carpet every day in the past, but his sales dropped to 200 to 300 square meters a day.

Saleh said the collapse of the carpet market, on the one hand, and unemployment and drought on the other, disturbed residents of the four districts of Andkhoy, Qarmqul, Qurghan and Khancharbagh.

Meanwhile, Zalmai Azizi, head of Civil Society Institutes’ Network said that large number of former government officers joined the carpet industry after they lost their jobs after the fall of the previous government.

He said that these officers had little salaries when they were working with the government, but regime change in the country even worsened their economic situation.

He called on the government and international institutions to pay attention to support the carpet industry and to encourage national and international businessmen to invest in Afghanistan in order to create job opportunities for the people.

However, Majid Niazi, head of the Andkhoy Chambers of Commerce and Industry, is optimistic about the future of carpet industry.

Niazi says that after political changes in the country, most of the employees of government, security and institutional institutions lost their duties and joined carpet weaving.

He said that the carpet market previously was weak due to security problems, but now there were no security issues and government would facilitate all required facilities for carpet weavers to boost the industry and improve their economy.

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