Brazil’s Minister of Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade, Luiz Fernando Furlan, affirmed, Monday, January 16, that, despite its difficulties, the Brazilian leather and footwear sector registered US$ 80 billion in export revenues and positive domestic results, which means that 2005 was a year of growth.
Furlan highlighted the export and domestic market performances and remarked that losses were confined to the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Area), where sales were down US$ 90 million, equivalent to 23 million pairs of shoes, and Chile and Argentina, each with declines of a million pairs.
Nevertheless, in the markets where the Exports and Investments Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil) was active, sales volume and revenues increased, the Minister announced at the opening of the 33th International Footwear, Sporting Goods, and Leather Goods Fair (Couromoda), in São Paulo.
According to Furlan, the economy’s overall export target this year is US$ 132 billion.
This year’s Couromoda, which runs through Thursday, January 19, has 1,200 exhibitors, who account for 90% of Brazil’s annual production of around 700 million pairs of shoes.
More than 63,000 visitors are expected at the fair, which is taking place in the Anhembi Exposition Hall. Approximately three thousand brands of all types of leather and footwear merchandise are on display. The participants come from 15 Brazilian states, and there are 18 foreign exhibitors.
Agência Brasil
