Mexico the exception to US hide export decline
US packers and hide traders exported just over 12.1 million hides in the first eight months of this year, bringing in revenues of $559.8 million.
Compared to the same period last year, these figures indicate a decline of 24.3% in volume and of 30.4% in value.
There were double-digit declines in volume and in value in most markets, but there were a few interesting exceptions.
Shipments of wet-salted hides from the US to China were down over the period, but with demand having picked up in recent months, the cumulative figure is a fall of only 7%.
For wet blue exports, there were double-digit falls in shipments to all the main markets, including China, Vietnam and Italy. However, exports of wet blue from the US to Mexico more-than doubled in volume to almost 75,000 pieces and increased in value by 92% to reach more than $7.4 million.
