Data prepared by the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) indicate that footwear exports continued to decline in April, when 7.9 million pairs were shipped for US$ 90.7 million, drops of 22.8% and 18.8%, respectively, compared to the same month of 2023. In the accumulated of the four months, exports totaled 35.6 million pairs and US$ 344 million, decreases both in pairs (-26.7%) and in amount (-21.8%) compared to the same period last year.

The executive president of Abicalçados, Haroldo Ferreira, points out that the drop is within the entity's estimates and that the sector expects an improvement throughout the second half. “The international economy is still quite unstable, especially in Latin American countries, which are some of our main destinations. Throughout the second part of the year, we should register an improvement, as sales of Summer collections begin, the most profitable for the national industry”, evaluates the director, stressing that Abicalçados estimates that exports will drop between 6% and 9% in 2024, in volume.

The main destination for Brazilian footwear abroad remains the United States. In the first four months of the year, the national industry shipped there 3.47 million pairs, which generated US$ 71.9 million, a decrease of 9.7% in volume and 4.3% in revenue compared to the same interim of 2023. The good news is that the average price of the product shipped to the United States had an increase of 6% in the period (to US$ 20.70) compared to last year, which indicates that the industry is shipping footwear with greater added value to North American retail.

In a serious economic crisis, Argentina remains the second destination for Brazilian footwear abroad. Between January and April, 3 million pairs were shipped to the neighboring country for US$ 62 million, a drop of 39.2% and 24.9%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2023. The good news, as happened with the product shipped to the United States, is the increase in the average price of footwear, of 23.5% (to US$ 20.52).

In third place among the destinations of the yellow-green product abroad appears Spain. In the period, Spaniards imported 5.55 million Brazilian pairs for US$ 14.2 million, down 26.2% and 25.8%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2023.

Exporting states
The largest exporter of footwear in Brazil continues to be Rio Grande do Sul. In the four months, Gaucho factories shipped 11.1 million pairs, which generated US$ 168.53 million, decreases in both volume (-16.2%) and revenue (-13.4%) compared to the same period in 2023.

The second exporter in the country in the period was Ceará, from where 12 million pairs left for US$ 77.25 million, down 22.4% in volume and 26.3% in revenue compared to the same period last year.

São Paulo closes the ranking of the top three footwear exporters in Brazil. In the first four months of the year, São Paulo factories shipped 1.9 million pairs for US$ 30.37 million, down 34.6% and 27.1%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2023.

New Asian players emerge in imports
Footwear imports continued to rise throughout the period, ending April totaling 12.86 million pairs and US$ 152.9 million, increases of 2.7% in volume and 5% in revenue. In April, there were drops of 3.5% in volume and 18% in dollars (2.54 million pairs and US$ 27.53 million). However, attention was drawn to the entry of two new Asian players in the list of origins: India, where 74.6 thousand pairs came from in April, for which US$ 1.47 million were paid, increases of 154.6% in volume and 160% in revenue); and Cambodia, where 54 thousand pairs came from in April, for which US$ 887.3 thousand were paid, increases of 200% and 174.6%, respectively, compared to the same month of 2023. "Abicalçados is monitoring the situation, but possibly we are having an intra-Asian migration of industries in search of cheap labor and government incentives,” Ferreira said.

In the four months, the main sources continued to be Asian countries Vietnam (3.45 million pairs and US$ 70.38 million, 9% increase in volume and 2% decrease in revenue); Indonesia (1.8 million pairs and US$ 30.38 million, increases of 54.4% and 28.5%); and China (5.56 million pairs and US$ 16.55 million, decreases of 19.5% and 17.7%).

In footwear parts - uppers, insoles, soles, heels, etc. - imports in the period totaled US$ 12.64 million, 43.2% more than in the same period last year. The main origins were China, Paraguay and the United States.