According to figures released by the Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB), leather exports improved significantly in the first five months of 2007 to reach $939.7 million—up 34% from the $703 million reported in the same period in 2006. Imports also increased, rising 14% to $62.26 million.

Commenting on the positive trend, Dr Luiz Augusto Siqueira Bittencourt, managing director of CICB, said that demand for leather is so great at present that not even the overvalued real has slowed sales. He added that exports in the first five months of the year have already reached 50% of the total export levels achieved in 2006 and that shipments in the first five months of the current year have increased 8% in volume.

Italy remained the largest export market during the period in question, importing 47% more leather year-on-year and accounting for 29.12% of total leather exports. Chinese figures also improved, rising 60% to account for 22.49% of exports, whilst Hong Kong exports rose 7% to account for 10.96%.  

Meanwhile Brazilian exports improved significantly in new markets such as Mexico (+157%), the Dominican Republic (+317%) and Singapore, where Brazilian leather imports increased by a staggering 716% during the five-month period.