Tunisia: leather and footwear exports up 8.9%
Tunisia’s exports of leather and footwear posted a rise of 8.9% in the first ten months of 2011, going up from $542.2 million in 2010, to $591.3 million. Imports rose by 9.1% reaching $379.4 million, compared to $347.8 million in the same period of 2010.
According to the monthly October 2011 information bulletin of the National Leather and Footwear Centre, growth in the sector’s exports is due to the increase recorded in leathergoods, for which exports were up 50.7% and leather clothing, which was up 73.6%.
Regarding Tunisia’s customers, Italy comes first with 46.6% of the overall exports, $275.5 million. France ranks second with a 21.3% growth to $175.5 million in 2011. Germany, Spain and Hong-Kong rank third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
