At least 700,000 square meters of Afghan carpet has been exported in the past 10 months, Afghanistan's Carpet Association said Saturday. The association said it shows 15 percent of increase in the carpet exports compared with the same period in the last solar year. 

The Afghan carpet is exported to Europe, the United States and some countries in the region. 
 
“If the carpet price is one price in Pakistan it increases twice when it is sent to Europe markets,” said Mohammad Hadi Farzam, member of the association. 
 
Meanwhile, Chamber of Mines and Industry say the carpet industry is faced with many problems.  
 
Pakistan is giving four percent subsidy for the carpet exports through that country, therefore majority of Afghan carpet is exported to world markets through Pakistan and with the mark of Pakistan, spokesman of the chamber of mines Rahimullah Samandar said. 
 
“If Afghan government gives subsidy to the carpet exports this will mean that a large amount of Afghan carpet will be exported directly to the world markets,” Samandar said.
 
Officials from the Ministry of Commerce and Industries meanwhile said they continue their efforts to improve carpet industry in the country.
 
“Besides construction of a special industrial park for carpet weavers, we have developed a plan for the development of carpet industry in the country,” said Musafer Qoqandi, spokesman for the ministry of commerce and industries.
 
Recently, government talked about establishing an industrial park and a special township for carpet industry owners in five provinces, but the carpet association says the plan has been not implemented so far.