In the first five months of the year, exports totaled 57.29 million pairs and US$ 538.4 million

Data prepared by the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) indicate that, in May, 8.53 million pairs were shipped for US$ 98.2 million abroad. The results are lower both in volume (-18.7%) and in revenue (-5.6%) compared to the same month of 2022. In the first five months of the year, exports totaled 57.29 million pairs and US$ 538.4 million, a result 10.8% lower in volume and stable in revenue compared to the corresponding period last year.

The executive chairman of Abicalçados, Haroldo Ferreira, points out that the result was already expected by the entity, given the devaluation of the dollar - which makes Brazilian footwear more expensive abroad -, the slowdown in the world economy and the increase in Chinese exports. "Over the past two months, Chinese shoe exports have already increased by more than 20%. When the largest player in the world market, which only until April has already exported 2.8 billion pairs, retakes its space, the tendency is for other producing countries to lose space”, evaluates the executive. The dollar has also been a ”pebble in the Brazilian shoe", since with the US currency in devaluation against the Real the trend is an increase in the average price of the pair exported by Brazil. "Finally, we have the slowdown in the international economy, especially in the United States and European countries, major footwear consumers,” he adds.

Destinations
The main destination of Brazilian footwear exported in the first five months of the year was Argentina. Through May, the hermanos imported 6.58 million yellow-green pairs for US$ 106.6 million, a 3.6% drop in volume and a 43% increase in revenue over the same period last year.

The second destination for Brazilian footwear abroad was the United States. In the five months, North Americans imported 4,.6 million Brazilian pairs, for which US$ 92 million was paid, decreases both in volume (-54.7%) and revenue (-37%) compared to the same period in 2022.

Also registering drop in Brazilian footwear imports, France appears third in the ranking of destinations. Between January and May, the French imported 1.63 million pairs for US$ 25.7 million, down 60% and 12.5%, respectively, from the same period last year.

States
The largest exporter of footwear in Brazil continues to be Rio Grande do Sul. Between January and may, Gaucho factories shipped 15.86 million pairs, for which they received US$ 235.26 million, decreases both in volume (-12.7%) and revenue (-4.4%) compared to the same period last year.

The second exporter in the period was Ceará, from where 18 million pairs left for US$ 129 million, a decrease of 8.2% in volume and an increase of 6.7% in revenue compared to the same interval in 2022.

This was followed by São Paulo (3.8 million pairs and US$ 52 million, down 8.1% and 2.7%, respectively) and Bahia (1.93 million pairs and US$ 37.97 million, up 2.6% and 41.3%).

Against the grain
Contrary to export results, footwear imports continue to rise. Between January and May, 14.78 million pairs entered Brazil for US$ 188.4 million, high in both volume (+3.9%) and revenue (+23.7%) compared to the same period in 2022. The main sources continue to be Asian countries: Vietnam (3.9 million pairs and US$ 89.4 million, increases of 21.7% and 30.1%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2022); Indonesia (1.74 million pairs and US$ 35.97 million, increases of 25.7% and 28%); and China (7.4 million pairs and US$ 24.3 million, decreases of 5% and 1.1%).

In footwear parts - uppers, soles, heels, insoles, etc. -, imports until May were equivalent to US$ 11.44 million, an increase of 15.6% compared to 2022. The main origins were China, Paraguay and Vietnam.