ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota’s export totals grew 7.4 percent in the past year, slightly beating the national average, and tied with Iowa for the 20th best growth percentage.
While equal with Iowa’s growth, and far ahead of North Dakota’s 26 percent decrease in exports, Minnesota still lags behind its other neighbors. South Dakota achieved an eight percent growth in total exports in the past year, while Wisconsin’s growth hit 11 percent.
North Dakota also stands out as the state with the worst change in total exports in the United States over the past year. Hawaii had the largest improvement, at 157 percent. That’s more than double second place West Virginia’s 65 percent increase, just over triple third placed Nevada’s 52 percent growth, and more than seven times that of fourth ranked New Hampshire’s 22 percent growth.
Eight of Minnesota’s ten major export categories saw growth from the second quarter of 2016 till now. Optics and medical supplies remains tops for the state, increasing seven percent to hit $923 million in total, roughly 18 percent of the state’s total $5.141 billion in exports during the second quarter of 2017.
Ores, slag, and ash saw the largest increase, jumping 306 percent in the past year. Vehicles and food by-products were the two categories to see their total exports from Minnesota decrease in the past year, by nine percent and 15 percent respectively.
Canada remains far and away the top importer of Minnesotan goods. With a two percent growth, $1.084 billion for the second quarter of 2017, nearly $500 million more than second place Mexico. The Netherlands total Minnesotan imports saw the sharpest jump over the past year, increasing 105 percent. Mexico, Germany, and Belgium have imported less goods.
Minnesota was one of 33 states to increase their total exports over the past year, while 15 states had decreased exports. Only Florida and South Carolina failed to see any significant change in the past year.
