A strong start to 2022 for US hide exports
Tanners and traders in the US exported 2.75 million hides in the first month of this year, bringing in $113 million.
Compared to the figures for January 2021, these figures represent an increase of 26% in volume and of 33% in value.
In January 2022, these exports included 2.4 million wet-salted hides with a combined value of $78.75 million, respectively up by 26% and 35% year on year.
Wet blue’s contribution was 330,000 hides, worth $34.9 million, up by 27% and 32% year on year.
Increased demand for US hides in China and Italy compared to the covid-constrained commencement to 2021 contributed greatly to these increases.
China imported more than 60% of the total wet-salted shipments, buying 16% more than last year. In parallel, Italy brought in more than 40% of all US exports of wet blue for the month, importing more than double the volume it acquired in January 2021.
In January 2022, Chinese importers paid an average of $32.95 for each wet-salted hide from the US. In January 2021, the average price was $28.30.
In Italy, in the first month of this year, the average price tanners paid to import wet blue was $99.18 per hide. The corresponding average price in January 2021 was $90.39.
