Reflecting a weak world economy, Minnesota’s manufactured exports were valued at US$3.7 billion in the third quarter of 2009. Exports fell by 17 percent (US$757 million) since the third quarter of 2008. U.S. exports fell by 21 percent.
 
Among the 20 largest exporting states (Minnesota ranks 20th), Minnesota had the fifth-smallest export decrease, behind Kentucky with the smallest decline (2 percent), and Texas, Indiana and Tennessee with the next-smallest declines (15 percent). Utah (14 percent growth to US$2.7 billion, ranked 26th) and Wyoming (4 percent to US$242 million, ranked 47th) were the only states to experience positive export growth during this period. Reflecting a weak world economy, Minnesota’s manufactured exports were valued at US$3.7 billion in the third quarter of 2009. Exports fell by 17 percent (US$757 million) since the third quarter of 2008. U.S. exports fell by 21 percent.
 
Among the 20 largest exporting states (Minnesota ranks 20th), Minnesota had the fifth-smallest export decrease, behind Kentucky with the smallest decline (2 percent), and Texas, Indiana and Tennessee with the next-smallest declines (15 percent). Utah (14 percent growth to US$2.7 billion, ranked 26th) and Wyoming (4 percent to US$242 million, ranked 47th) were the only states to experience positive export growth during this period.
 
Year-to-date, Minnesota exports have shrunk 18 percent, while U.S. exports have fallen 23 percent.
 
Export Growth to Three of Minnesota’s Top 10 Markets
*       Exports grew to three of the state’s top 10 markets – Japan (up 3 percent), Korea (up 7 percent) and Australia (up 7 percent) – while those to China were stable compared with this period in the previous year.
*       The overall 24 percent decline in exports to Minnesota’s main export market, Canada, was the result of declines in the major exports to this country – transportation equipment (down 24 percent or by US$77 million), machinery (down 22 percent or by US$37 million), food (down 15 percent or by US$22 million), and computers and electronics (down 22 percent or by US$30 million) – and in petroleum-related goods (down 71 percent or by US$63 million).
*       The Philippines dropped to the state’s 11th-largest market as the dominant export, computers and electronics, plunged 47 percent. Similarly, declining exports to Ireland were driven by a 24 percent drop in the main exported industry, miscellaneous products (including medical goods).
 
Exports of Paper and Fabricated Metals Rise, Although Most Industries Face Export Declines
*       Minnesota exports of fabricated metals jumped 11 percent based on strong growth in the largest market, the United Kingdom. Exports to this market increased 705 percent to US$42 million, accounting for 25 percent of the state’s sales of these products and consisting primarily of arms and ammunition.
*       Sales of paper goods grew strongly to Korea (up 97 percent to US$15 million), Germany (up 453 percent to US$7 million) and China (up 24 percent to US$28 million). One of the growing paper areas was self-adhesive papers.
*       Demand sharply decreased for three of the state’s top four export industries – computers and electronics (down 19 percent or US$207 million), machinery (down 21 percent or US$154 million) and transportation equipment (down 21 percent or US$111 million) – in the Philippines, Canada, Belgium and other countries.
 
Despite Sharp Drop in Integrated Circuits, Other Strong Segments Contribute Positive Growth
*       Non-electrical medical and surgical instruments made up the second-largest four-digit product group with US$219 million in exports (up 7 percent). Demand for needles and catheters was particularly strong in Ireland and China.
*       The Philippines accounted for 67 percent of the drop in sales of integrated circuits (down 45 percent to US$130 million).
*       Malaysia (up 310 percent to US$34 million) and Thailand (up 423 percent to US$23 million) contributed the most to Minnesota’s export growth of office machine parts, while China (up 37 percent to US$24 million) and Korea (up 157 percent to US$12 million) contributed the most to export growth of self-adhesive materials.
 
Minnesota Quarterly Export Statistics is the most current resource available for tracking the state’s manufactured export trends and is prepared for the Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) by the Department of Employment and Economic Development’s (DEED) Analysis and Evaluation Office (Thu-Mai Ho-Kim, 651-259-7180). Past issues may be viewed at www.exportminnesota.com/itradestats.htm and results from manufacturing conditions surveys are located at www.deed.state.mn.us/facts/manufacturing.htm on DEED’s web site.
 
Industry-level export data based on North American Industry Classification System industries (NAICS) are collected by the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC) and are distributed by the World Institute of Social and Economic Research (WISER). Product-level export data based on the Harmonized Tariff System (Schedule B) are collected by the USDOC and are distributed by the Global Trade Information Services. Product-level export data provide additional information and insights on the industry-level export data.