海角大神

A carpet economy unravels in Afghanistan

The carpetmaking industry in Afghanistan may be headed for hard times due to cheap competition in China and high-paying alternatives for low skilled laborers.

听A local, slice-of-life story from a Monitor correspondent.

After centuries as a cornerstone of Afghanistan鈥檚 culture and the economy, the nation鈥檚 carpetmaking industry may be headed for hard times.

Thanks in large part to a proliferation of both cheap, Chinese carpets and high-paying jobs working for foreign organizations, Afghans are less interested in buying and making traditional rugs.

鈥淎fter the invasion of the Americans, this industry has been in a continuous decline,鈥� says Anwar Shahrestani, a carpetmaker for the past 35 years. 鈥淭he carpet industry is headed toward failure if it continues like this.鈥�

Pointing to a rug four of his children are working on, he explains that it will take three to four months to complete and will net him only $400. He鈥檚 uncertain if he鈥檒l find a buyer.

A highly skilled, seasoned carpetmaker can expect to earn about $200 to $250 a month, but the vast majority make less. Weavers鈥� assistants who do menial detail work can earn as little as $25 a month.

Meanwhile, foreign organizations have created a number of high-paying opportunities for unskilled Afghans who can make the same as a master weaver working as a cleaner for an international charity organization. Salaries for international organizations are good enough to pull local doctors and engineers from their field to work low-level office jobs.

鈥淧eople have better job opportunities and they can make more money doing other things. Carpetmaking is very boring and repetitive and it pays very little,鈥� says Qurban Ali Nazari, a carpetmaker in Kabul.