São Paulo – Exports of leather from Brazil resumed their growth in the month of May. There was an increase of 11% in value and of 3% in volume, according to figures supplied by the Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex) and compiled by the Association of Tannery Industries of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (AICSul). Foreign sales totalled US$ 90 million in May, as against US$ 81 million in April. In comparison with May last year, however, there was a reduction of 50%, and the result from January to May was 55% lower than in the same period last year, the total being US$ 399 million so far this year. In terms of volume, there was a decrease of 6% compared with May last year, and of 13% from January to May.
Among the Arab countries, from January to May, Tunisia ranks 35th in the list of buyers, with purchases of US$ 1 million and a 40% decrease over the figure imported from January to May 2008. The second Arab country in the list of leather imports from Brazil, in the first five months this year, was Lebanon. The country imported a much lower figure than Tunisia, US$ 167,000, but it represents growth of 343% compared with the same months of last year. The third largest importer of leathers from Brazil among Arab nations was the United Arab Emirates, with US$ 44,000 and a reduction of 13%. Lebanon ranked 50th in the list of importers, and the Emirates ranked 63rd.
The leading destination for Brazilian leather abroad was Italy, which purchased the equivalent of US$ 97.6 million from January to May. There was a 61% reduction in purchases made by Italy. The second country in the list was China, with US$ 86.7 million in imports and a 50% reduction. The type of leather for which exports grew the most in May, compared with April, was finished bovine leather, which has higher added value and is ready to be used in manufactured goods. There was growth of 29% in the number of leather items exported, which went from 722,000 units in April to 928,000 units in May.
Rio Grande do Sul was the Brazilian state that exported the most leather from January to May this year. Sales from the state totalled US$ 110.6 million during the period. There was a reduction of 53% in comparison with the same months of last year. In May alone, the state of Rio Grande do Sul exported US$ 23 million in leathers, representing a reduction of 50% over April, and of 3% over the same month of last year. In the whole of last year, Brazilian revenues from leather exports totalled US$ 1.8 billion, of which Rio Grande do Sul answered to US$ 509 million.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
