São Paulo – Brazilian footwear exports to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates declined almost 30% in the first nine months of this year in comparison to the same period of 2015. According to data provided by the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados), revenues from sales by the sector to the Saudis and the UAE dropped 28% and 28.5%, respectively.
Saudi Arabia was the Arab country that bought the most footwear from Brazil from January to November. Sales totaled USD 14.08 million for a volume of 1.6 million pairs. In quantity, exports by the Brazilian footwear industry to the Saudi market also declined by 19%, but less than the drop seen with revenues. In the overall exports ranking, the country came in 12th place.
UAE purchases generated a total of USD 14.04 million for Brazilian footwear manufacturers in the first eleven months of the year. The volume shipped to the Arab country was 1.5 million pairs, a decline of 17.6% over the same months of 2015. In the overall exports ranking, the UAE appears at the 13th position.
Despite the drop in purchases, year-to-date up to October, the two countries remain in the same positions in the ranking of importers of Brazilian footwear.
Despite the drop-off in sales to the Arabs, global exports increased from January to November in comparison to the same months of 2015. In the period, revenues reached USD 871 million, up 3.6%, from 108.2 million pairs shipped, a volume that is up 1.6%.
In November, export revenues increased 12.7% over the same month of 2015 to USD 84.2 million, and 12% in volume to 11.1 million pairs. It was the fourth consecutive monthly increase in comparison to the same period of 2015 regarding revenues.
Year-to-date, the largest importer of Brazilian footwear is the United States, followed by Argentina, France, Paraguay, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, United Kingdom and Australia.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
