2013 has brought good news to Brazilian exports of hides and skins. As shown recently in January and February, March has also recorded a sales increase to overseas markets in relation to the same period from the previous year.

According to preliminary data from the Brazilian Ministry for Development, Industry and Foreign Trade (MDIC) - Foreign Trade Secretariat, the total amount exported in March 2013 was US$ 190 million, or 9.4 % higher than March 2012. This year’s accumulated reached 17.1 % growth in relation to the first quarter of 2012, totalling US$ 543.7 million against US$ 464.3 million.

This significant growth – on the contrary of the sector’s challenges, such as currency variations and the Brazilian infrastructure’s issues – is fully supported by the sector’s actions promoted by the Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB) in partnership with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil), through the Brazilian Leather project.

The project - which promotes the Brazilian leather in target markets, by generating business and opportunities for the country’s economy – has also established significant measures focused on the tanneries’ processes improvement. As a consequence, the scheme has helped to increase the share of the national leather in the international market and promote the qualification of leather professionals to raise the competitiveness of the Brazilian products in the world. In regard to the current scenario of hides and skins exports, CICB understands that there is a shift in the market due to the high prices of raw materials.

Furthermore, on March 2013 exports’ growth, it is also possible to highlight an increase of 0.6 % compared to February this year, which recorded US$ 188.8 million. Hides’ participation in the total amount of Brazilian exported products rose from 0.8 % to 1.1 % in the 2013’s accumulated, in comparison to the same period in 2012.