São Paulo – Brazilian leather exports grew 17% in 2011 as against 2010, totalling US$ 2.05 billion, according to information disclosed by the Confederation of Brazilian Hides and Skins Industries (CICB) on Wednesday (11). In the previous year, revenues had totalled US$ 1.74 billion. The expansion in revenues was the result, according to the CICB, of more expensive products and not of sales volume, which dropped 2%.
The main destination for Brazilian exports in 2011 was China (including Hong Kong), which purchased 30.1% of the total exported, or US$ 615 million. Chinese purchases were 10% greater than in 2010. Italy was the second main buyer of Brazilian leather, having purchased US$ 456.9 million (22.3% of the total), followed by the United States, which purchased US$ 229.48 million (11.2% of the total).
The president at CICB, Wolfgang Goerlich, stated that sales were within sector estimates, but added that the economic crisis faced by Europe and the United States should make business “herder” this year. Still according to Goerlich, the domestic market should not absorb a possible reduction in exports, as it is saturated and leather is being replaced by other materials in shoe production.
Although export revenues totalled US$ 161.16 million in December and remained at the same level as in 2010, the CICB stated that in the last quarter of last year, the number of orders placed dropped significantly. Revenues remained at the same level as in 2010 as December exports referred to orders that had already been placed.
Rio Grande do Sul was the main Brazilian leather exporter in 2011, shipping abroad the equivalent to US$ 492.23 million, or 24.1% of the total. São Paulo was the second main exporter, with US$ 442.38 million (21.6% participation), followed by Paraná, Goiás and Ceará.
*Translated by Mark Ament
