Afghan carpet industry struggling amid ongoing trade crisis

Afghan carpet sellers said on Saturday that their sales have declined and that it has become difficult to export to international markets.

They said that with international relations, including trade, at a standstill and uncertainties in transport, business, and sales have been hit hard as their primary market is foreign buyers.

Shafiqullah Mohammadi, a carpet shop employee stated: “Our international trade relations are suspended and we have suffered a lot because of this.” 

“We used to send our carpets to Asian and European countries, but now we cannot,” he added.

“We still have products, but our sales are very low. We used to sell three or four carpets a day, but now we sell that number a week. Yes, we accept that we are safe and away from suicide attacks, but our request to the Islamic Emirate is not to underestimate carpets, because carpets are Afghanistan’s industry and identity,” said carpet shop employee Mohibullah Kohi. 

Billions of dollars in international aid have also dried up since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) took Kabul on August 15.  Billions more in foreign currency reserves are locked up in vaults in the West.