São Paulo – Foreign trade has begun to improve for the Brazilian shoe industry. Even though revenues in January were virtually the same as in the same month of 2009, there was growth of 28.8% in number of pairs shipped. Shipments totalled 17.5 million pairs and revenues totalled US$ 142.8 million.
The data were supplied by the Brazilian Association of Shoe Manufacturers (Abicalçados). According to the organization, the performance was influenced by the resumption of purchases by countries that had reduced their imports last year, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain and Argentina. The United States, the leading buyer, bought 6.8 million pairs.
As for Brazilian states that exported shoes, Ceará had a good performance. The state increased its revenues from foreign sales of shoes by 47%. Industries from the state of Ceará sold 10.2 million pairs in January, generating US$ 44.4 million in revenues. The state of Bahia recorded growth of 26.5% in revenues from shoe exports.
Revenues from exports of synthetic shoes grew by 20.5% in January, and revenues from shipments of textile-upper shoes increased by 22.9%. These were the two types of shoes for which exports increased in both revenues and volume.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum