Growth continues for US hide exports in Q1
Packers, tanners and traders in the US exported a total of 8.25 million hides in the first quarter of 2022, bringing in a total of almost $335 million.
Compared to the same three months last year, these figures represent growth of 17.8% in volume and of 21.2% in value.
In the first quarter of this year, the US exported 7.3 million wet-salted hides and 923,000 wet blue, with revenues of $237.4 million and $97.5 million, respectively.
This means a 20% rise in volume for wet-salted and growth of 28% in value year on year, while for wet blue the percentage increases are lower, 2% in volume and 8% in value.
In spite of lockdowns for covid-19, Chinese tanners were still the biggest buyers of US wet-salted hides in the first three months of 2022, taking more than 4.3 million pieces, almost 60% of the export total, and 10% more than in the same months in 2021.
The average export price of a wet-salted US hide over the period was $32.42, compared to $30.46 a year ago.
For wet blue, Italian buyers were the biggest buyers, taking just over 300,000 pieces, almost one-third of the total.
Globally, the average export price of US wet blue between January and March 2022 was $105.63. The average price in the same months in 2021 was $100.06.
