Brazil’s leather industry experienced a mixed start in the first two months of 2025, with fluctuations in export values and volumes across different segments. According to data from SECEX (Foreign Trade Secretariat) and analyzed by CICB, February exports totaled US$ 97.7 million, reflecting a 0.3% decline from January and a 2.8% drop compared to February 2024. Despite the decline in value, export volumes showed positive growth in several categories, marking an intriguing start to the year for the Brazilian leather industry.
In February 2025, Brazil exported 16.8 million square meters of hides and 57.5 thousand tons of leather, marking 13.3% and 22.8% increases in volume, respectively, compared to February 2024.
Month-on-month performance was slightly weaker, with a 0.3% decrease in area and a 2.7% drop in weight compared to January 2025.
January’s exports reached US$ 97.99 million, representing a 4.1% decline compared to January 2024 but still 29.9% higher than January 2023.
Brazil’s leather exports were dominated by four major markets:
China (excluding Hong Kong) remained the largest destination, with a 32.6% share in value and 47.2% share in area. However, its share slightly declined from 34.0% in value and 49.1% in area in the previous month. Year-on-year, exports to China saw an 8.0% increase in value and 33.9% rise in area.
Italy maintained its position as the second-largest importer, accounting for 13.9% of the total export value and 15.7% in area. Italy showed a strong recovery, with an increase of 19.1% in value and 33.5% in area compared to the previous year.
Vietnam, holding 11.5% of total value and 12.8% of total area, recorded a 7.1% increase in value and a modest 3.7% rise in area.
The United States experienced a significant decline, with a 27.8% drop in value and 18.7% in area, making it the weakest-performing market among the top four destinations.
Meanwhile, Tunisia made a remarkable jump to 10th place in Brazil’s export rankings, with an impressive 108.1% increase in value and 108.8% growth in area.
Brazilian leather exports varied significantly based on the type of leather being shipped
Wet blue leather accounted for 30.7% of total value and 59.9% of total area. It was the only category that saw increases in both metrics, rising 5.9% in value and 34.6% in area.
WB split leather held a 10.6% share in total value, with a 3.6% increase in value but a 4.0% drop in area.
Crust leather, making up 10.0% of export value, declined 16.6% in value and 4.3% in area.
Finished leather, the largest segment by value with a 45.1% share, saw an 11.5% drop in value and 2.0% in area.
Salted hides continued their double-digit growth, nearly doubling their shipment volume compared to early 2024.
Despite overall stability in total value and volume, daily export averages rose from US$ 4.5 million in January to US$ 4.9 million in February. The increase in weight was even more pronounced, with February shipments reaching 838,000 square meters, compared to 764,000 square meters in January.
However, concerns remain due to persistent economic and trade uncertainties. The ongoing tariff and economic disputes between China and the United States continue to impact global trade, leading to unpredictability in international markets.
With the world’s largest leather trade fair scheduled for March 2025, industry experts hope for more clarity and direction regarding global trade policies and demand trends for the rest of the year.
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