In June Brazilian footwear companies exported 6.4 million pairs of shoes with a total value of 64.45 million US dollars, a 25.8% decrease in volume and a 24.5% decrease in revenue compared to similar month in 2018. Overall, in the first semester of the current financial year, a total of 58.3 million pairs were sold abroad, generating 480.7 million US dollars, a figure 5.3% higher in volume and 1.3% smaller in value compared to similar period last year.

During the first semester, the main destinations for Brazilian footwear exports were the United States (6.4 million pairs; 101.25 million US dollars, a 28.4% increase in volume and a 34.6% increase in revenue), Argentina (3.47 million pairs; 44.5 million US dollars; a 37.2% decrease in volume and a 41.8% decrease in revenue) and France (3.47 million pairs; 26.16 million US dollars; a 1.1% decrease in volume and a 13.6% decrease in revenue).

For Abicalçados' Executive President, Heitor Klein, the result mostly reflects the decrease in exports to Argentina, the second destination of Brazilian shoes: "In the first months of 2018, the neighbouring country even surpassed the United States as the main destination. The deterioration of imports was quick and is mainly explained by the need to maintain the international reserves of that country, imposed by the IMF, which inhibits imports, and also by the weak domestic demand," he concluded. According to Klein, exports to the United States have been "safeguarding" the result and benefitted from the US-China trade war (READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE): "The trade war has been making US importers seek suppliers in countries other than China", commented Klein.