Completing the Gemstone Value Chain Is on the Agenda

Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade said that developing processing, gem cutting, standardization and linking production to the market are the main priorities for raising value added and strengthening exports in this industry.

According to Mehr reporter, Mohammad Masoud Samienejad, Deputy Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Iran Mining and Mineral Industries Development and Modernization Organization (IMIDRO), referring to the holding of the third round of the national gem cutting skill competition, considered skill development, quality improvement and training of expert human resources as the main requirements for the sustainable development of the country's gem industry.

Sami Nejad stated: Iran, having significant geological diversity and valuable capacities in the field of gems, has advantages that can become one of the important areas of value creation in the mining and mineral industries sector if the value chain is completed, knowledge and skills are developed, and production is effectively connected to the market.

He added: In the gem industry, a significant part of the economic value is created after the extraction of the mineral. Scientific identification, processing, gem carving, design, product production, standardization, certification, branding, marketing and trade are a set of circles that should be developed in harmony with each other.

Emphasizing the importance of human capital development in this industry, the head of the Imidro Board of Directors said: "Holding the national gem cutting skills competition is not only a competition among the activists of this field, but also an opportunity to measure the level of skills, identify top talents, evaluate the effectiveness of training, transfer experience, and help improve the technical and professional standards of the country."

He continued: In such an industry, the quality of human resources can directly affect the added value of the product. A raw gemstone, if properly identified, selected, cut and processed, can experience several stages of value increase and become a competitive product in the domestic and international market.

Referring to the formation and activity of the Strategic Council of the Gem Industry of the country centered on Imidro, Sami Nejad said: the development of this industry requires integrated policy, coordination between related institutions and the definition of a road map that includes all components of the value chain. The Strategic Council of the Gem Industry of the country also seeks to create coherence in policies, synergize the capacity of devices and guide the development programs of this field.

Referring to the five-year performance of the country's gem industry development plan, he said: During the past five years, when the development of this industry has been followed under the leadership of IMIDRO, worthy and significant measures have been taken in various sectors, and the view of the gem industry has moved from separate and scattered activities to the formation of a coherent and purposeful chain.

The chairman of Imidro's board of directors added: One of the important achievements of this period was the simultaneous attention to all stages "from exploration to the market". Identification of mining and exploration capacities, development of processing and gem cutting, education and skill training, creation and strengthening of specialized infrastructure, development of gemology and standardization, attention to new technologies and finally branding, marketing and trade are among the axes that are considered in a chain framework.

Sami Nejad stated: The efforts made during these years have led to the identification of many missing links in this industry and planning to connect them together. Today, we can talk about the country's gem value chain with a more coherent view and draw the path from mineral capacity to the final product and the market more clearly.

He added: What is important is the continuation of this path and the transformation of the actions taken into a stable structure for the development of the gem industry; A structure that can effectively communicate between mining, knowledge, skills, production, technology and market.

Referring to the job creation capacity of this industry, the Deputy Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade said: Gem field has this feature that it can create a field of economic activity from specialized and industrial units to small businesses and home businesses. This capability can help to develop employment, increase income and create local added value, especially in areas with mineral capacity and less privileged areas.

He added: Of course, quantitative development alone is not enough and quality, standard and competitiveness should be in the focus. In the same framework, the national jewelry skills competitions can help to promote the culture of quality, increase technical precision, create motivation among activists and identify the best capacities of the country.

In the end, Sami Nejad emphasized: the third round of the national open competition of gem cutting skills should be considered as a part of the larger development path of the country's gem industry; The path that starts from the discovery and recognition of resources and reaches the market and trade through education, skills, processing, standardization and production. Its goal is to turn Iran's valuable gem capacities into products with higher identity, quality and added value, and this industry will gain a more worthy share in the country's mining economy, employment and non-oil exports.