Sulaymaniyah carpets faces decline amid strong demand for Turkish imports

SULAYMANIYAH, November 22 — Despite the onset of cold and rainy weather, demand for local carpets in Sulaymaniyah has seen a noticeable decline, with traders noting a significant dip in sales. Instead, they say, buyers are interested in Turkish imports known as European carpets.

Carpet salesman Redin Mohammed shared, “Despite the decline in sales compared to previous years, we sell more European carpets than others. By European carpets, we mean Turkish-made carpets exported to European countries. Some of our traders import them due to their high quality.”

The price of European carpets varies based on quality, ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 Iraqi dinars per meter, with a five-year warranty.

Mohammed Sadiq, another carpet seller in Sulaymaniyah, said, “The delay in [public-sector employee] salaries has caused significant damage to the carpet market this year. If a shop owner sold 50,000 meters last year, they have only managed to sell 20,000 meters this year.”