TEHRAN – A 540 billion rial ($6 million) product made by Iranian artisans was sold at 12,000 makeshift food stalls and local markets on the holiday of Nowruz 1404, officials from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handaik said.
Farzad Ojani told IRNA that the sales rate of handicrafts at Nowruz market and trade fairs have been declared to cultural heritage experts by artisans and registered in a system created by the Ministry of Tourism, as necessary infrastructure such as POS machines are available to artists.
He said the Khorasan Razavi and Gilan provinces launched more than 1,000 handicraft pavilions in Nowruz Marketplaces, ranking them as top grade given the number of cities and cultural heritage sites.
The type of crafts is related to the fields of indigenous peoples in each state, he said. Therefore, he added that the products in each region are different.
For example, knifemaking and tapestry are common in Zanjan, while ceramic manufacturers are popular in East Azarbaijan, with the feeling of basket weaving in Ilam, manufacturing and carpet weaving in Katankari and Chaharmahalbhaktiari in Isfahan.
He said that the provincial handicraft experts paid close attention to fair pricing for handicrafts to define prices in the market price range.
“We are trying to use all the abilities and sites under the control of the Cultural Heritage Sector to encourage visitors to purchase local handicrafts after visiting the historic site.”
Based on available data, Iran has exported $224 million worth of handicrafts in past Persian calendar years (ends March 20, 2025). Cultural heritage, tourism and handrails suggest that the same amount was estimated to have been exported through the suitcase trade.
KD