Exports of Minnesota products reached a new high of $21.4 billion in 2014, up almost 3 percent over the previous year.
The Department of Employment and Economic Development announced the figures today and said that Canada, Mexico, China, Japan and Belgium are the state’s top trade partners.
The exports, which include agriculture, mining and manufactured products, come from more than 8,600 Minnesota companies, most small and medium-sized businesses, said DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben.
She said more than 930 different products went to 192 countries in the fourth quarter. For the full year, the state sent 1,055 different detailed products to 207 countries.
Minnesota accounts for 1.3 percent of U.S. exports, officials said.
A big jump last year came in exports to Mexico, up 52 percent to $2.24 billion. Canada is still at the top, though, with $5.6 billion. China dropped by 9 percent to $2.23 billion, Japan was $1.2 billion and Belgium was $886 million.
Other countries that bought lots of Gopher-state products last year:
- Germany, $749 million
- Korea, $712 million
- the Philippines, $571 million
- Singapore, $531 million
- United Kingdom, $529 million
Meat exports were up 21 percent to $392 million for the year, due to demand for pork in Mexico, Korea and Japan.
