ABICALÇADOS-APEX: The key to promoting Brazilian footwear exports
The joint effort between the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (ABICALÇADOS) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (APEX-BRASIL), which has been running the BRAZILIAN FOOTWEAR export support program since 2000, has been renewed for the 2024/2025 biennium. Over the next two years, the program will invest more than R$ 36 million (approximately US$ 7.2 million) in initiatives aimed at internationalizing and promoting the footwear industry. Half of the investment comes from the Agency, with the remainder contributed by participating companies in the program.
ABICALÇADOS's Executive President, Haroldo Ferreira, emphasizes the program's importance for sector exports. According to him, in 2023, supported actions generated US$ 147.5 million (R$ 872.3 million) in export revenue. "Last year, the Program invested R$ 20.3 million in actions, taking into account APEX-BRASIL's investment and the counterpart investment from both companies and ABICALÇADOS. The return on investment was R$ 43 for every R$ 1 invested," said the executive, noting that over 80% of the total revenue from Brazilian footwear exports comes from companies supported by BRAZILIAN FOOTWEAR. "Since 2000, the program has not only supported the increase in export volume but, above all, a greater diversification of markets and exported products. When we signed the first agreement, our exports had 99 destinations. In 2023, we reached over 170 markets," Ferreira added.
Over the next two years, BRAZILIAN FOOTWEAR will promote actions with a direct or indirect impact on the program's target markets, selected by members in a meeting held by the Market Intelligence areas of APEX-BRASIL and ABICALÇADOS. Last year, the priority markets were the United States, Colombia, Chile, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, and Angola. Secondary target markets, which will be worked on to understand and prospect future actions during the biennium, will include Saudi Arabia and Australia.
APEX-BRASIL President, Jorge Viana, emphasizes that ApexBrasil's support aims to develop the footwear production chain, with the goal of becoming one of the largest in the world in the coming years. "A few years ago, we were the third largest footwear producer in the world, and today we are the fifth, the largest outside of Asia. We have all the conditions to return to past levels. The quality of the footwear developed by our industry is unparalleled in the world," comments Viana.
Source: ABICALÇADOS-Brazil
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