São Paulo – Brazilian footwear exports grossed USD 84.35 million in July, up 44.4% from a year ago. Sales amounted to 7.9 million pairs, up 65.2%, the Brazilian Footwear Industry Association (Abicalçados) reported this Thursday (8).
Year-to-date through July, revenues reached USD 565 million, up 3.6% from a year ago. Foreign sales amounted to 65 million pairs, up 8.2% year-on-year. Business performance had been quite weaker until June.
Abicalçados president Haroldo Ferreira said the performance was driven by the United States, whose government announced it will increase the Import Duty Taxes on Chinese shoes by 10 percentual points, from an average rate of 17.3% to 27.3%.
He pointed out that the list is still under review of the US Congress, but the country’s importers are already looking for alternative suppliers, such as Brazil. “We are now the largest footwear exporter outside Asia. Obviously, the trade war will influence the industry,” Ferrera said on the release.
Sales to the United States grossed USD 18.52 million in July, up 79% from a year ago. Volume shipped reached 757,400, up 96.6%. Year-to-date, exports to the US reached USD 119,740 million and 7 million pairs, up 70% and 33% respectively.
Exports are hiking to the United Arab Emirates. Brazil sold almost 1.3 million pairs year-to-date through July, up 88% from a year ago. Exports grossed USD 9.1 million, up 40.8%.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
