São Paulo – Brazilian footwear exports totalled US$ 522.2 million from January until April, representing growth of 11.3% over the same period of last year. In total, 59.8 million pairs were shipped, as against 49.5 million during the first four months of 2009. The increase of 10 million pairs during the period represented growth of 20.8%, according to data supplied by the Brazilian Association of Shoe Manufacturers (Abicalçados).
The main buyer countries during the period were the United States, with US$ 127.7 million in imports, representing growth of 6.3% in terms of value and 35.2% in terms of volume; United Kingdom, with US$ 59.1 million, growth of 7.5% in value and 20.5% in volume; Italy, with US$ 47.58 million, growth of 30.2% and 21%. Other leading buyers were Argentina, France and Spain.
Regarding Arab countries, the ranking of main target markets for Brazilian footwear from January to April includes Saudi Arabia, with US$ 3.14 million in imports (+43.4%) and 407,000 pairs (+39.9).
In April, exports totalled US$ 98.5 million, representing growth of 16.7% over the same month of 2009. A total of 10.3 million pairs were shipped, an increase of 18.7% using the same basis of comparison.
With regard to imports, in the first four months, there was a decrease of 27.5% volume-wise, and a 21.6% decline in terms of revenues. Brazil imported 11.3 million pairs by late April, as against 15.6 million in the first four months of last year.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
