São Paulo – Brazilian leather exports nearly doubled in April. Foreign sales totalled US$ 160 million, representing growth of 97% compared with the same month of last year. In the last four-month period, exports totalled US$ 555.95 million, representing an 80% increase over the same period of 2009. The data were disclosed on this Monday (17th) by the Confederation of Brazilian Hides and Skins Industries (CICB).
"In the first four months of the year, compared with the same period of 2009, at the height of the global economic downturn, shipments of leather have increased volume- and revenue-wise, pointing to a resumption of the industry’s competitiveness," said the chairman of the CICB, Wolfgang Goerlich, in a press release.
The main targets of Brazilian leather exports from January to April were Italy, with US$ 135.5 million in exports; China, with US$ 129.8 million; Hong Kong, US$ 56 million, and the United States, with US$ 55.9 million. Germany, Mexico, Vietnam, the Netherlands, South Korea and Thailand were other destination countries for Brazilian exports.
The CICB estimates that foreign sales this year should total from US$ 1.7 billion to US$ 1.8 billion, representing growth of 60% over 2009.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
