External sales in the Brazilian shoes sector dropped 9% from January to July this year in relation to the same period in 2004. According to the study by the Brazilian Association of Shoe Manufacturers (Abicalçados), the sector exported 117.7 million pairs this year, against 128.7 million pairs in 2004.
“The drop is a reflex of the competition with the Asian countries, which manage to produce at lower prices,” evaluates the executive director at Abicalçados, Heitor Klein.
Even so, the shoe industry was able to maintain the revenue with exports. In the accumulated value for the seven months, the exporters’ revenue added up to US$ 1.107 billion, 8% more than in the same period in 2004.
The positive results in revenues with shoes exports in these seven months are due to the increase in the average price of the product in the international market. The industries negotiated an average price of US$ 9.41, an increase in 18% in relation to the price in the same period last year.
“We are producing shoes with higher added value and winning markets in more demanding niches that accept paying more for better quality,” says Klein.
An example is Italy, which paid US$ 11.86 in average for the shoe imported from Brazil. Last year, in this same period, the country paid US$ 5.97 the pair.
CNI