Exports have gone below zero over ten months. Data recently provided by LHCA (Leather and Hide Council of America) highlight the situation and make it crystal clear. In fact, from January till October 2020 the United States have sold a smaller quantity of raw hides and skins and wet blue as well.
Exports below zero
From January till October 2020, US exports of raw hides and skins decreased by 10%, in terms of volumes, while wet blue dropped by 26%. Looking at tanning raw material value, which amounted to over 642 million dollars in the first ten months of 2019, it went down to slightly more than 472 million dollars in 2020. It therefore suffered from a 26% downturn. As regards semi-finished leather, US exports reached, in terms of volumes, 237 million dollars: they amounted to over 338 million dollars in 2019.
The export markets
China and Hong Kong are still the most important market destinations for raw hides and skins (+8%), while wet blue exports mostly reached Europe, and Italy in particular. In contrast, Brazil (+65%), Turkey (+166%), Cambodia (+129%), Israel (+103%) and Ethiopia (+11%) have been countertrend as for tanning raw material. As regards wet blue, instead, exports towards Mexico (+212%), followed by Brazil again (+86%), then Korea (+45%) and Dominican Republic (+62%) mostly enjoyed an increase. From January till October 2020, Italy’s demand for raw hides and skins decreased by 39%, whereas imports of semi-finished leather dropped by 26%.
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