Footwear exports continue to recover

Even in the face of a weak comparative base, the footwear sector is celebrating a gradual recovery in exports. Between January and May, according to data prepared by the Brazilian Association of Shoe Manufacturers (Abicalçados), 49.3 million pairs were shipped, generating US$ 323.57 million, increases of 24.7% in volume and 9.8 % in revenue compared to the same period last year. In May alone, 8.77 million pairs were shipped, totaling sales of US$ 65.2 million, significant increases of 223% in volume and 172.8% in revenue compared to May 2020, the third consecutive high, even compared to the same months of 2019.

The CEO of Abicalçados, Haroldo Ferreira, points out that shipments continue to recover and that the sector should end 2021 with exports 13% higher than 2020. “In the coming months, the basis for comparison will not be as weak as that of the first five months so that we will grow less,” highlights the director. According to him, given the advance of Covid vaccinations and the normalization of world trade, the expectation is to recover part of the damage from 2020, when shipments dropped 18.6%. “Even with this recovery, we won’t recoup last year’s losses,” he adds.

Destinations

In the first five months of 2021, the main destination for Brazilian footwear was the United States, which imported 5.38 million pairs for US$ 70.1 million, increases of 41.2% in volume and 21.6% in revenue compared to the same period of 2020.

The second main destination of the period was Argentina, which imported 4.15 million pairs, generating US$ 38.48 million, increases of 44% and 30.6%, respectively, compared to the same period last year.

The third destination during the first five months of the year was France. In the period, the French imported 3.1 million pairs, for which they paid US$ 23.46 million, increases of 16.7% and 20.5%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2021.

Origins

Rio Grande do Sul continued to be the main exporter of the Brazilian footwear sector. In the first five months, the gaucho footwear manufacturers shipped 11.82 million pairs, for which they received US$ 136.75 million, increases of 27.8% in volume and 8.3% in revenue compared to 2020.

Ceará was the second-largest exporter in 2021, shipping 15.7 million pairs, which generated US$ 82 million, increases of 14.5% and 5.4%, respectively, compared to the first five months of 2020.

São Paulo appeared in third place among exporters. In the five months of 2021, São Paulo footwear manufacturers shipped 3.45 million pairs for US$ 36 million, increases of 25.1% and 18.2% compared to the corresponding period of 2020.

See the chart below for a history of Brazilian footwear exports since 2018, according to DataLiner:

Brazilian Footwear Exports | Jan 2018 to Apr 2021 | TEU

Graph source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Asian imports grow more than 70%

Accounting for 83% of total footwear imports in the period, footwear imports from Vietnam, Indonesia, and China increased by more than 70% in May. In general, May registered the import of 1.88 million pairs, for which US$ 28 million were paid, increases both in volume (+58.1%) and in revenue (+86%) compared to the corresponding month of 2020.

Vietnam shipped 775,000 pairs to Brazil, for which US$ 15.5 million were paid, increases both in volume (+51.7%) and in revenue (+79%) compared to May last year.

Indonesia was the second-largest source in May, having shipped 249,000 pairs to Brazil for US$ 4.97 million, increases both in pairs (+50.8%) and in dollars (+91%) compared to May 2020.

The third origin of the month was China, from which 551,000 pairs were imported for US$ 2.74 million, with increases in volume (+33.1%) and revenue (+45%) compared to month five of last year.

In the year-to-date results, imports totaled 10.8 million pairs for US$ 136 million, down 7.1% and 1.7% compared to the same period last year. The main origins were Vietnam (3.88 million pairs and US$ 76.42 million, down 17.2% and 3% compared to 2020), Indonesia (1.27 million pairs and US$ 22.85 million, down 9% and 0.8%), and China (4.66 million and US$ 16.86 million, an increase of 1.8% and a fall of 6.8%).

In parts – uppers, insoles, soles, heels, etc. – imports in the five months totaled US$ 10 million, 7.2% more than last year. The main origins were Paraguay, China, and Vietnam.

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