São Paulo – Brazil’s footwear exports to the United Arab Emirates climbed by 68% year-to-date through November, the Brazilian Footwear Industry Association (Abicalçados) reported. Year-on-year, sales went from 935,600 to 1.5 million pairs.
Revenue from the sales to the UAE also increased. Year-to-date through November, Brazil saw a turnover of USD 11.3 million from the sales to the Middle Eastern country from USD 9.2 million a year ago. It was a 23% growth.
The increase in volume was higher than in revenue because the Brazilian industry sold cheaper shoes to the UAE this year. From January to November 2018, the average price of the shipped pair was USD 9.84, while this year it slid to USD 7.21.
Overall, year-to-date through November Brazil shipped 104.2 million pairs of shoes abroad for USD 886.3 million, up 3.8% in volume and 0.9% in revenue from a year ago. In early 2019, Abicalçados expected a higher growth in exports.
Abicalçados executive president Haroldo Ferreira was quoted as saying in a press release that this was especially impacted by the US-China trade war, which slowed down the international economy, and the crisis in Argentina.
Brazilian footwear’s main destination abroad year-to-date through November were the United States at 10.8 million imported shoes for USD 181.6 million. Second largest foreign buyer was Argentina at 9.32 million pairs for USD 98.3 million.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
