The main problem of toy manufacturing in Iran is the lack of advanced technologies in the industry, says the secretary of Iranian Supervisory Council for Toys.
“Not only do we lack the equipment and supplies for manufacturing toys, but we also lack the knowledge and skills required to use the equipment,” Mohammad-Hossein Farjoo said, reports Mehr news agency.
Although the Council of Higher Education approved six years ago university courses related to the toy industry, no university has so far offered such a program, he said, adding that “we lack the required human resources in the field.”
In practice also there are some weaknesses; for instance, “no craftsmen in Iran make doll hair,” Farjoo noted.
The industry, however, started growing since 2002, when the authorities decided to fill the gap that had resulted from the lack of local toys.
Since then, the Supervisory Council for Toys mandates all domestic manufacturers to be licensed by the council, besides bringing toy imports under control.
Changing Attitude
According to statistics, “toys used to be at the bottom of Iranian families’ shopping lists,” Farjoo said, adding that fortunately, the attitude is changing, as parents have come to believe that toys play a significant role in developing children’s personality, as well as their skills and senses.
“They are beginning to spend more time and money on toys,” he noted.
The US is at the top of the toy spending list, buying $350-400 per capita of toys. Europe follows with $250. China, however, as one of the largest toy exporters, spends only $6.5 per capita on toys.
The revenue of toy manufacturing industry in China outpaces Iran’s oil revenue, said Farjoo.
