From the Newsroom*
São Paulo – The Brazilian industry exported 54.2 million pairs of shoes in the first quarter of this year. The expansion was 8.1% over the same period last year, according to figures disclosed by the Brazilian Association of Shoe Manufacturers (Abicalçados).
Revenues with foreign sales reached US$ 519.5 million, growth of 5.2%. A large share of the shoes exported are synthetic. A press statement by Abicalçados informs that this type of product accounts for a growing share of Brazilian exports of leather shoes.
There was a 22% reduction in the volume of leather shoes exported in the quarter as against the same quarter in 2007. Exports totalled 18.5 million pairs of leather shoes between January and March. Revenues totalled US$ 360.7 million, little under the US$ 370 million of the same months in 2007. Leather shoes represent 34.1% of the total shipped.
Exports of synthetic shoes reached 31.5 million pairs, with revenues of US$ 119 million. In physical volume, synthetic products have grown 45.7% over the first quarter in 2007. Revenues in the same period last year totalled US$ 80.9 million. Synthetic products represented 58.2% of the total exported.
The United States was still the main buyer of Brazilian shoes in the first quarter of this year, absorbing 17.1 million pairs for US$ 146.2 million. In second place came the United Kingdom, with 3.2 million pairs for US$ 58.9 million. The third main buyer was Italy, with 2.9 million pairs and US$ 48.3 million.
*Translated by Mark Ament and Gabriel Pomerancblum
