Jaipur, Mar 11: The carpet industry in Rajasthan, famous for its royal carpet designs, is upbeat about its future business prospects.

The growth rate of carpet industry in Rajasthan picked up during the last few years and has been progressing at the rate of around 15 percent per annum.

High quality carpets are the major reasons behind the high demand for Rajasthani carpets.

"Over ten year's back when I first came here, there were just 30-35 exporters in the carpet business but now there are at least 150 carpet exporters in the state. It means day by day the business is growing," said Sidhnath Singh, a carpet manufacturer from Rajasthan.

Rajasthan's carpet industry now ranks third in the country after Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

"People in India are hardworking and they can make high quality carpets which people in other countries cannot make," said Ramjan, a buyer from Turkey.

With the growth of the carpet industry in Rajasthan, the state's share in carpet exports from India has correspondingly increased.

"Carpet exports from India for the year 2006-07 was 800 million US Dollars. In this Rajasthan contributed 10 per cent that is 40 million US Dollars. There are 300 thousand people directly or indirectly working in the carpet industry of the State," said Ashok Jain, Chairman, Carpet Export Promotion Council.

The major carpet importing countries are the United States, UK and Europe. The United States alone imports almost fifty percent of total carpets export of India, followed by the UK, which imports thirty percent, and Europe, Gulf countries, South Africa and South America accounting for the remaining Indian carpet exports. (ANI)