São Paulo – Brazilian exports of leathers totalled US$ 1.88 billion last year, a reduction of 14% in comparison with 2007, when revenues from foreign sales totalled US$ 2.19 billion. The figures were disclosed last Friday (16) by the Centre of Brazilian Hides and Skins Industries (CICB).
“Last year, the Brazilian leather industry was faced with obstacles that led to a continual decrease in exports, both in terms of revenue and volume, due to the long period of exchange rate appreciation, as well as the obstacles posed high interest rates, excessive bureaucracy, precarious infrastructure system, etc., which has now worsened due to the global crisis,” said the president at the CICB, Luiz Bittencourt.
To him, 2009 will be difficult because of the crisis, but stated that the sector is adopting measures in order to adapt to the new economic reality, and intends to maintain its captive markets.
Bovine leather alone answered to exports of US$ 1.85 billion in 2008, also a decrease of 14% compared with 2007. The main destinations of Brazilian leathers were China, Hong Kong, Italy and the United States.
The market that grew the most was Vietnam. Other countries that purchased significant amounts of products from Brazil were Indonesia, Mexico, Germany and Norway.
According to the CICB, the leather industry employs approximately 50,000 people in the country and generates an annual turnover of around US$ 3.5 billion.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
