Francal pays purchasers stay to sell shoes
Valor Econômico
Despite the international crisis, the US dollar rate increase in the beginning of the year excited the Brazilian exporters of footwear. However, less than six months later - when the orders started being delivered - the American currency started falling again and that was really bad news for the sector.
It is in view of this setting there will be the opening, in São Paulo, of Francal (International Fair of Footwear, Fashion Accessories, Machines and Components), one of the two main fairs of footwear of the country (the other one is Couromoda, which takes place in January). In order to stimulate the business, organizers are paying, for the first time in 41 years since the event started, for the accommodation of 50 buyers from Latin America and 100 Brazilian store owners of other States. In addition to that, the Brazilian Association of the Footwear Industry (Abicalçados) brings to Francal, every year, a group of 40 foreigners, among store owners and specialized journalists.
In the first five months of 2009, the Brazilian sales of footwear overseas fell 27.3% in volume and 28.6% in income, when compared to the same period of 2007. Imports, on their turn, increased 4.5% in volume and 21.1% in value, and the greatest part of the shoes come from China. Among the Brazilian manufacturers, Francal is seen as a great opportunity for closing deals. But when the subject is exports, caution is the key-word at this moment.