Brazil’s exports of hides, skins and leather for June 2026 were worth US$93.4 million, according to data analysed by the Centre for the Brazilian Tanning Industry (CICB/Brazilian Leather).
This figure marks an increase of 12.1% compared with June 2025, as well as an increase compared with the month prior, May 2026, where exports totalled US$89.4 million.
In volume terms, Brazil exported 14.6 million sq m and 49,800 tons of leather in June, an increase of 9.0% in the exported area and 23.7% in the weight year-on-year. Compared with May, there were also increases of 5.3% in area and 1.0% in weight.
Product types
In the first six months of 2026, among leather types, finished leather remained the sector’s largest export, accounting for approximately 44% of total exports with sales of US$236.8 million. However, finished leather also recorded the sharpest decline in revenue, with sales falling 15.2% in value and 13.3% in area, confirming weak international demand for products with higher added value.
Wet-blue remained the second-largest export, generating US$142.9 million. Export value fell 2.1%, while shipped area fell 1.7%, indicating stability in comparison to the segments with higher processing.
Split wet-blue hides reduced by 7.5% in value, with growth of 1.4% in weight in the first six months of 2026, suggesting a reduction in the average value per unit exported and reflecting the pressure on international split prices.
Crust leather showed positive growth with an increase of 14.2% in value and 22.7% in area. Salted bovine hides showed the biggest growth year-on-year, with a 64.9% increase in value and 28.0% in volume.
Key export markets
In the first six months of 2026, China (excluding Hong Kong, China's data) remained Brazil’s top export market with a share of 29.1% of revenue and 43.9% of area. Year-on-year, there was a drop of 6.8% in value, while the stable shipment volumes indicate the decline reflected price pressure, not weaker demand.
The United States and Italy hold second and third place, but both showed significant drops. Exports to the U.S. decreased by 16.6% in value, while shipments to Italy fell by 19.2%.
Vietnam continued to rank fourth, accounting for 10.2% of exports which was a 4.3% reduction compared with the same six-month period in 2025. Mexico was one of the few major markets to grow in value (4.3%).
Among other leather shipments, the positive highlights of the first six months of 2026 are in Malaysia (+138.9%), Indonesia (+80.4%), Cambodia (+53.4%), Spain (+38.8%), Poland (+37.2%) and South Korea (+34.5%). In the case of salted hides, the growth occurred in the markets of Togo (+513.3%), Turkey (+246.4%) and Nigeria (+30.8%). CICB describe the smaller markets’ growth as evidence of diversification of Brazilian destinations. Increases to places such as West Africa are most likely for human consumption and to Turkey for gelatine production.
Exporting states
At state level, Rio Grande do Sul maintained the top ranking in the first six months of 2026, accounting for 28.1% of total export revenue. The state recorded a 9.2% decline in value, while exported area fell 2.0% and exported weight increased 7.6%.
São Paulo remained in second place, with export value down 4.9%, while exported area increased 5.7% and exported weight rose 2.7%. Paraná followed, recording an 8.1% decline in export value, accompanied by reductions in exported volume.
Goiás recorded stable export value, up 0.2%, alongside increases of 9.1% in exported area and 9.4% in exported weight. Mato Grosso do Sul reported a 5.9% decline in value but a 7.5% increase in exported weight, while Santa Catarina saw a sharper 16.9% fall in export value.
Among the strongest performers, Pará recorded a 45.4% increase in export value, followed by Minas Gerais (+42.8%) and Bahia (+6.7%). Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro (-25.9%), Mato Grosso (-33.3%), Ceará (-35.3%), Piauí (-42.8%) and Espírito Santo (-46.0%) recorded the largest declines in exports.
CICB comments
CICB noted: “The first half of 2026 ended with a one-off recovery in exports in June, which recorded the best monthly performance of the year in all indicators compared with the same month in 2025. Despite this positive result, it was not enough to compensate for the accumulated performance of the semester. Although export revenue decreased by 4.9% compared to the first half of 2025, the increase in the volume shipped by weight and the more contained drop in the exported area indicate that Brazil has preserved its competitiveness and consolidated its presence in the main international markets.
“The period also showed changes in the profile of exports. Weaker demand for higher value-added leathers, especially finished leather, was partially offset by growth in sales of crust and salted hides, as well as the stability seen in wet-blue. At the same time, average export prices show signs of stabilisation in important segments, although they still remain pressured in some products.
“In the geographical aspect, the export basket continues to be concentrated in traditional markets, especially China, the United States and Italy, but the advance of sales to destinations such as South Korea, Indonesia, Spain and Malaysia demonstrates opportunities for diversification, gradually reducing the dependence on a few buyers.
“For the second half of the year, the evolution of exports will depend on the recovery of international demand for leather, the continued stabilisation of prices and the consolidation of emerging markets. In this context, the strengthening of exports of higher value-added products and the expansion of the presence in new destinations remain strategic factors for the performance of the Brazilian sector.”
