São Paulo – Revenues from footwear exports from Brazil to the United Arab Emirates grew 20.4% in the first ten months of this year from the comparable year-ago period, the Brazilian Footwear Industry Association (Abicalçados) reported last week. The industry grossed USD 18.1 million from exports. Volume shipped to the UAE was up 12.4% to 1.5 million pairs.
Saudi Arabia, another major buyer of Brazilian shoes, imported 6.4% less shoe pairs from January to October from a year ago. Revenues stood at USD 17.8 million, nearly the same as the UAE. The country purchased 1.8 million pairs, down 9.5% from 2014.
The UAE were the 12th leading importer of Brazilian shoes through October this year, with Saudi Arabia in 13th. The United States were the top buyer, followed by Argentina, France, Bolivia, Paraguay, Colombia, Chile, Angola, Australia, Peru and the United Kingdom. The USA imported more than twice the second-placed buyer, revenue-wise, at USD 148 million, with Argentina in second at USD 59.7 million.
Overall, Brazilian footwear export revenues dropped 12.4% year-to-date through October to USD 766.1 million. Export volume declined less, by 8% to 96.5 million shoe pairs sold. In October alone, footwear export revenues reached USD 71.3 million in Brazil, down 12.8% from October 2014. A total of 10.1 were exported, down 15.1%.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum