~Machinery sales lead all sectors~
Minnesota companies exported $5.2 billion worth of agricultural, mining and manufactured products in the second quarter of 2013, according to figures released August 29, 2013 by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
State exports were down 5.7 percent from the same period a year ago, when they reached a second-quarter record of $5.5 billion. Among states, Minnesota ranked 20th for total exports in the latest quarter.
North America accounted for 34 percent of Minnesota exports, followed by Asia at 30 percent and the European Union at 22 percent.
"To continue strengthening our economy, we need to identify market demand for Minnesota's high quality products and increase exports," said DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben. "The Minnesota Trade Office provides technical assistance and international market research for companies looking for opportunities to sell their products in the global marketplace."
Canada was the state's largest export market in the second quarter, with sales reaching $1.4 billion (down 15 percent). The state's other top 10 markets were China ($592 million, down 21 percent), Mexico ($336 million, up 3 percent), Japan ($262 million, down 7 percent), Germany ($205 million, up 6 percent), the Netherlands ($185 million, up 65 percent), Belgium ($180 million, no change), South Korea ($137 million, down 29 percent), the Philippines ($136 million, up 15 percent) and the United Kingdom ($131 million, up 14 percent).
Some of the state's smaller regional markets saw steady growth, with exports to Africa climbing 24 percent in the quarter to $60 million and exports to Central America and South America increasing a combined 3 percent to $260 million.
Machinery remains the state's top export product, with sales at $1.1 billion in the quarter (down 4 percent). Other top exports were optic, medical instruments ($852 million, up 5 percent), electrical machinery ($621 million, up 2 percent), vehicles ($440 million, down 9 percent), plastic ($252 million, down 12 percent), aircraft, spacecraft ($213 million, up 66 percent), food waste ($149 million, up 18 percent), beverages ($87 million, up 87 percent), iron and steel ($86 million, up 20 percent), and meat ($75 million, down 3 percent).
The aircraft/spacecraft segment had a strong quarter (up 66 percent), primarily related to the sale of civilian aircraft parts. The Netherlands contributed a major part of the growth in that category, with sales to that country climbing from $2 million a year ago to $91 million.
Optics/medical instruments showed steady growth, climbing 5 percent to $852 million. Belgium (up 16 percent to $96 million), Australia (up 56 percent to $27 million) and Taiwan (up 33 percent to $38 million) accounted for the largest share of gains. The strongest growth in that category was medical/surgical instruments (up 36 percent to $305 million).
Machinery sales fell by $40 million (down 4 percent) because of declining business in South Korea, Australia, Italy and Japan. Computers and computer parts, machinery for producing semiconductors, and harvesting/cleaning machinery saw the biggest drop in sales in that segment.
The full export report is available at
www.tinyurl.com/MinnesotaExports.