São Paulo – The Brazilian Footwear Industry Association (Abicalçados) reported that footwear exports from Brazil dropped 0.9% in November over the same month of last year, to USD 83.43 million. In all, 9.88 million pairs were shipped, a decline of 10.6% in the same comparison.
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However, from January to November, exports climbed 11.9% over the same period of last year, and the volume exported went up 2.1%. In these 11 months, 109.86 million pairs of shoes were shipped across the world, generating USD 973.58 million in revenues.
The United Arab Emirates is one of the leading importing countries of Brazilian footwear. Year-to-date ending in November, the Arab country imported nearly 1.2 million pairs, totaling USD 11.28 million, a decline of 19% in comparison to the same period of 2016.
According to Abicalçados’ CEO, Heitor Klein, November’s data is the result of Brazilian footwear’s price going up, with its average price varying from USD 7.60 to USD 8.50 in the last year.
“With real’s recent appreciation against the dollar, our footwear has a less competitive price, which impacts exports directly, especially to countries that are sensitive to price, such as the case of the United States,” he explained, according to the association’s report.
The United States are the main importers of Brazilian footwear and have been buying less and less since the start of the year. From January to November, the USA imported 9.88 million pairs worth USD 170.18 million, representing a decline of 12.7% in revenues, in the comparison to the same period of last year.
The main exporting states continue to be Rio Grande do Sul, Ceará and São, Paulo, in this order. Rio Grande do Sul and Ceará both increased their revenues and volume; only São Paulo faced a decline of 18% in volume, although it increased its revenues by 8%.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
