TEHRAN – The deputy director of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of Kerman Province has said that 1,082 artisans working in the field of handicraft were introduced last Iranian year (ended March 19) to benefit from rural and nomadic insurance.

In an interview with IRNA on Saturday, Kazem Hosseinzadeh added that 604 crafters were also introduced to receive financial facilities from the banking sector amounting to 115 billion rials (about $2.7 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials).

He went on to say that 93.5 billion rials were paid to handicraft artisans during the last year and jobs were created for 650 people, showing 108 percent rise year on year.

Most of the facilities granted to producers have played a supporting role in creating home-based businesses, and workshops that produced indigenous handicrafts of the province, he said, adding that a total of 6,045 persons received training courses.

The official underlined: “Today, in the field of international competition, the concept of commercialization and branding plays a prominent role in the field of export of goods and services, and the purpose of holding these workshops is to help marketing and sell handicraft products in this province, which has received less attention in recent years.”

Referring to the revival of obsolete handicrafts during the past years, he said: “Last year, the field of cotton cloth weaving was revived in Sirjan city, and this field has a long history, which has been revived and revitalized by the artisans of this city.”

“Also, the ownership of the intellectual property rights of Khos weaving (home-made fabric) in Kahnooj city was received last year, which was a valuable measure in order to preserve and promote this indigenous art of Kerman province to create employment and sustainable development.”

Moreover, production licenses have been issued for 15 people and individual production licenses have been issued for 1,949 people and licenses for 1,496 handicraft artisans was extended, he added.

Referring to the introduction of handicrafts in Kerman province in the international arena, the official stated: “During the last year, the leading and indigenous handicrafts of the province were introduced virtually for the fans of three countries of Brunei, Indonesia and India, and arts such as embroidery, kilim, coppersmith, precious and semi-precious stones, knife making, pottery, and traditional blacksmithing were introduced to tourists and enthusiasts abroad in a webinar.

“The largest center for presenting handicrafts and home products will soon be established in Kerman with the joint cooperation of Kerman Municipality and Omid Entrepreneurship Fund with the aim of introducing more handicrafts in the province. At the moment, Kerman province has about 70,000 artists and craftsmen in 64 fields of handicrafts, most of whom work at home.”